Author: Anaise Boucher-Browning

By Anaïse Boucher-Browning '22 and Manasi Singh '24

The seminar transitioned today from gathering thoughts and experiences to developing tangible actions based on our ideas. Our objective now is to formulate a comprehensive set of recommendations concerning vaccine manufacturing, procurement, and distribution. These recommendations aim to influence decision-making processes beyond the confines of this seminar.

We began the morning by jotting down our main points on sticky notes for everyone to review. Then, we dove into our final panel discussion of the day, covering pandemic risk assessments, vaccine development, funding mechanisms, and vaccine nationalism in depth.

Before dividing into working groups to draft recommendations, we held a comprehensive strategy session to outline potential frameworks for addressing the complexity of future pandemic scenarios and the diverse stakeholders involved in vaccine procurement. Our discussions throughout the week have addressed a broad set of challenges. It's been very encouraging to see these ideas beginning to form into a cohesive set of principles.

The African fellows with direct experiences of the national pandemic responses across several African countries gathered in a working group tasked with drafting the framework for actionable principles for recommendation. They presented their findings to the other fellows, emphasizing the importance of tailoring strategies for vaccine access to accommodate numerous shifting variables and scales of response.

We continued the drafting process in small groups later in the afternoon, and we’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow morning to continue the iterative drafting process. 

It’s clear that a lot of incredible work is and will continue to happen here for the rest of the week. However, as our time here in Salzburg approaches its end, we are most excited to see new friendships developing within the group.

By Anaïse Boucher-Browning '22 and Manasi Singh '24

Even with it only being Day 2 here in Salzburg, we are amazed at the substantial progress already being made in grasping and advancing key themes and ideas essential for shaping a more effective preparedness plan for the next pandemic. Breaking away from the traditional central speaker model, the group of fellows are engaging in iterative conversations centered around sharing information and feedback in real time. These exchanges are laying a solid foundation for the development of key policy recommendations for designing vaccine procurement mechanisms.

This morning, we began with a panel discussion followed by a large group discussion focusing on the lessons learned from African countries' responses and experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. With important voices present in the room, the fellows were able to share experiences utilizing the COVAX multilateral vaccine procurement mechanism in order to strategize preparations for future pandemics.

In the following sessions, we participated in “goldfish bowl” small group discussions. In each room, a small group (“the fishbowl”) led by one fellow discussed a few key topics while a larger group listened in. Fellows could move in and out of the fishbowl to engage in specific conversation topics as necessary, allowing for a more focused dialogue. Topics included integrated health systems, incentive structures, public trust, vaccine nationalism, regional manufacturing and proactive collaboration. 

"Fishbowl" small group discussions

After a busy day of constructive conversations, the group took a break from the discussion circles to walk and talk with each other about key issues that had come up. On our walk, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery here at the Schloss Leopoldskron, where the Salzburg Global Seminar is held. Fun fact: the Schloss was where the iconic balcony and lake scenes of “The Sound of Music” were filmed!

Group photo from the lake walk

By Anaïse Boucher-Browning '22 and Manasi Singh '24

Four years ago today, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.  In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are struck with the work that has yet to be done on improving pandemic response frameworks, access to diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines and endless more. Today we began the “Better Preparedness for the Next Pandemic” program at Salzburg Global Seminar focused on developing effective and equitable vaccine access models with low- and middle-income countries. 

Launching the “Better Preparedness for the Next Pandemic” week-long program is significant. Bringing together world-renowned experts here in Salzburg to focus on developing effective and equitable vaccine access models with low and middle income countries is a necessary step that we are excited to be a part of. The program was initiated and developed by the Pandemic Security Project, an initiative of the Global Health and Development program at the Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College.

The participants include ministers of health from several African countries, representatives of multilateral public health and development institutions, and academics and industry representatives working on vaccine access. 

Today’s sessions were an inspiring overview that set the stage for complex themes that will be discussed during the week’s workshops. Participants discussed the lessons learned from the COVAX initiative, the trade-offs inherent in various mechanisms for vaccine procurement, and the importance of centering end-users’ input and needs in the design of future vaccine access processes. There was a lively discussion where key topics raised included the international power dynamics involved in the decision making process of vaccine procurement systems, how public institutions and private companies shape the supply and distribution of health technologies, and the importance of putting in place proactive measures and systems to prepare for an agile response to the next pandemic.

The end goal for this week’s gathering of changemakers is to develop a set of principles and recommendations to inform the work of key decision makers globally who are involved in designing global vaccine access mechanisms.

Dawn Carey and Tori Holt introducing the vision for the seminar