Global Health Challenges: Prioritizing Equitable and Affordable Access in LMICs

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Diseases | ESG

Author: Juan Carlos Jaramillo, MD. Chief Medical Officer, Valneva

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Today, the immense public health threat of infectious diseases is undeniable and being further exacerbated by climate change. At Valneva, we have always assumed a responsibility to help protect against these kinds of threats, and to develop vaccine solutions that help tackle these issues.

This includes supporting equitable and affordable access to healthcare in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), health equity is only achieved when everyone can attain their full potential for health and well-being. 1

Equitable, affordable and timely access to healthcare interventions such as diagnostics, vaccines, treatment and medicines is a crucial driver of good health and improved lives. Yet, according to WHO estimates, there are nearly two billion people worldwide who do not have access to these potentially life transforming healthcare interventions. 2 This access, at the right time, in the right place, is central to achieving wider global health goals. Moreover, improving access to Valneva vaccines is integral to our commitment to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) – ensuring healthy lives and wellbeing for all, at all ages. Addressing current gaps in access can contribute to building a more sustainable future by tackling barriers such as socioeconomic inequalities and geographic challenges. By enabling all individuals to have fair opportunities to access essential resources, we can ultimately drive long-term global development.

When addressing the goals of equitable and affordable access, and fair distribution, it is important to consider the varying needs of different groups of people. In vaccine distribution, this often involves prioritizing populations that are most vulnerable or at the highest risk of disease, such as those in LMICs. In these countries, healthcare systems are often underdeveloped and the presence of challenging environmental, awareness and living conditions, can put people at greater risk.

Efforts to promote equitable and affordable access require collaboration between governments, international organizations, and private companies to remove barriers and increase the number of people who can access interventions.

At Valneva, we have developed strong strategic partnerships that help us support people in LMICs. Within the framework of our funding agreement with The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), we have signed partnerships with Instituto Butantan in Brazil and the Serum Institute of India (SII), to expand access to vaccines for those who are most vulnerable in Latin America, Asia and other LMICs, at affordable prices and with the necessary infrastructure in place .

We are proud of our work in this area but there is much more that can and needs to be done to support equitable and affordable access to healthcare in LMICs, and stakeholders including governments, regulatory agencies, academic institutions, pharmaceutical and biotech companies must be committed to working together and driving change. Multiple barriers still prevent people accessing healthcare interventions. Inadequate healthcare financing, regulatory and procurement process hurdles, and supply chain and distribution all significantly impact the availability of medicines.

One key challenge is that countries often face differing regulatory requirements for new medicines, leading to delays in access and increased costs. This can be further exacerbated by limited regulatory capacity, causing additional delays and potentially preventing the approval of new products.

Additionally, inadequate healthcare financing also limits a countries ability to invest in essential health resources and create infrastructures to procure and distribute medicines. Currently a quarter of global health spending goes towards medicines, but most LMICs underinvest in this area. The Lancet Commission estimates that just $13–$25 per person could finance a basic package of essential medicines in LMICs, yet in many of these countries this is not possible, leaving people without access to basic pharmaceutical care that many of us take for granted. 3

Valneva is committed to maintaining and expanding partnerships that support equitable and affordable access to vaccines. We are and will continue to work on addressing challenges in relation to the affordability, sustainability, and reliability of supply, particularly in countries with a high disease burden. Pandemic preparedness is also an important focus for us, and we actively concentrate on making sure that our vaccines are suitable for use in outbreak responses in LMICs. Through these efforts, we aim to address both immediate public health needs and long-term global health challenges.

Equitable and affordable access to health is recognized as one of the fundamental human rights. Our vision is to contribute to a world where no one dies or suffers from a vaccine-preventable disease, and we are dedicated to addressing global health inequities by focusing on both access and affordability in regions where the burden of disease is at its highest.

1. WHO. Health Equity. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-equity#tab=tab_1 Accessed October 2024.

2. Ten years in public health, 2007–2017: report by Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241512442 Accessed October 2024.

3. Wirtz VJ et al. (2017) Essential medicines for universal health coverage. The Lancet. 389, Issue 10067.

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