A program led by the World Health Organization (WHO), with the aim to ensure that poorer countries have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, is looking at obtaining antiviral drugs for patients with mild symptoms for around $10 per course, stated a draft document.

Merck’s experimental pill, molnupiravir, will possibly be one of the drugs, while other drugs are being developed. The document defines the goals of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) till September 2022, and states that it aims to provide nearly 1 billion COVID-19 tests to poorer countries, and secure drugs for the treatment of about 120 million patients across the globe, out of nearly 200 million new cases estimated in the coming 12 months… (Reuters, October 19, 2021)