The campaign launched in October 2020 showcasing the UK’s ground-breaking work in science and innovation to solve some of the world’s greatest health challenges. Now, as we move towards a different phase of the pandemic the campaign is aiming to help Build a Bigger Bubble by protecting people across the globe as we have done for our own family and friends.
As an institution dedicated to breaking the cycle of poor health and poverty, LSTM already understands that by working to make the world a healthier place, we are improving the health security of people right here in the UK and highlighted among 10 people helping to Building a Bigger Bubble is LSTM’s Professor Sally Theobald. Sally is featured for her work in strengthening health systems across borders, including a comparative study looking at how Liberia and Liverpool have reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic differently.
Along with Sally, the campaign also features Dr Fumbani Limani, who is a medical doctor in Malawi and has been involved in LSTM’s #BumpitForward campaign. #BumpitForward has been asking UK residents, who have received their COVID-19 vaccine through the NHS, to donate its equivalent cost to protect health care workers in Africa by providing lifesaving PPE, until they are vaccinated. The campaign is on target to exceed its £225,000 target and several shipments of PPE have already been delivered to Malawi, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Liberia.
Along with LSTM, the campaign includes input from Malaria No More, Wellcome, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Save the Children among others. The campaign aims to take the British public on a journey to understand the importance of vaccine equity and pandemic preparedness and is asking people to sign a pledge, so that calling on the UK Government to accelerate the sharing excess vaccines without compromising domestic efforts.
Find out more about LSTM’s #BumpitForward campaign.