Lessons learned and recommendations to ensure access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostics in the COVID-19 pandemic response and beyond

Almost two years into the COVID-19 global pandemic, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continues to witness severe inequity in access to COVID-19 vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and other treatment and prevention measures in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where we work. Flaws in the global COVID-19 response have impeded access to these medical tools and offer lessons on how to improve access to medical tools in this pandemic and beyond. Many of these lessons learned from COVID-19 represent unfortunately familiar global health challenges and suggest the need to break from the status quo to address the structural and systemic flaws in this pandemic response and to shape future pandemic preparedness and response efforts.