“This moment offers a chance to address long-standing imbalances and build a system that is more accountable, locally rooted, and globally inclusive.”
On February 17, 2025, Charlotte Barker, Editor, Vaccine Insights, spoke to Rebecca Grais, Executive Director, Pasteur Network, about the power imbalances in the global health network, including the distribution and development of vaccines, and the importance of creating a more sustainable and equitable system. This article has been written based on that interview.
On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the USA and signed an executive order to immediately freeze USAID funding. Many programs were later cancelled, and the USA formally withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO). This abrupt withdrawal has further exposed the fragility of a global health system that has historically leaned heavily on US financial contributions—particularly in the areas of vaccine development and programming. While these funding cuts are harmful in the short term, they also present an opportunity to rethink how the global health system is structured—and to build something more equitable, resilient, and representative of all regions.
