Interview Ruchir Agarwal
In the absence of the World Bank, Gavi and DFIs create day zero pandemic fund
The World Bank has been singled out as the obvious place to house a day zero financing facility for a speedy response to the next pandemic. It has not stepped up to the plate and, filling the vacuum, two DFIs and Gavi have set up a USD 2.5 billion fund, adding a new layer of complexity to the global health architecture. More DFIs, newcomers to the global health scene, are also engaging. Economist Ruchir Agarwal, who originally proposed a “day zero” mechanism, weighs in.
