The COVID-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses and gaps in vaccine manufacturing and regulatory systems in the Asia-Pacific region. This meant that even when financing became available to procure vaccines, it wasn’t sufficient to ensure their equitable allocation. But several initiatives are now in place to help the region better prepare for the next pandemic.
The Asian Development Bank, for example, is offering technical assistance to some of its low- and middle-income member countries to strengthen their regulatory systems for vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
The bank is also assisting some of them in building their vaccine manufacturing capabilities and has created a network involving government agencies, academics, researchers, development organizations, and the private sector with the goal of working together to address the key challenges the region faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.