Bill Gates is on a quest to vaccinate the world. Can he do it?

Software developer-cum-philanthropist Bill Gates is the most powerful private influence in global health, with that reach extending to the quest for a coronavirus vaccine. The $50 billion Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested heavily to bring other vaccines to developing countries over the years. In response to the current pandemic, the Microsoft founder worked with the World Health Organization to launch the Covax initiative, which seeks to procure coronavirus vaccines for more than 150 countries. While Gates assured in a recent interview that he and his partners know how to work with governments and pharmaceutical firms alike, Covax has attracted only $3.6 billion in funding in the 9 months since it got off the ground. The initial funding target is $11 billion, which could skyrocket once doses become available. Moreover, because the United States and other wealthy nations have forged separate distribution deals for themselves, Covax may struggle to secure the billions of vaccine doses its needs in a timely fashion. If the mission fails, stakeholders may push harder for a more radical approach; however, if it helps protect needy populations from the virus, it will back the strategies that Gates has embraced, including incentives for drugmakers.