Regions
- Africa
- Asia-Pacific
- East Asia
Countries
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Laos
- Malawi
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- South Africa
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Current status
Open
More Information
The COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium Scaling Access to New COVID-19 Oral Antiviral Therapies in LMICs
Project overview
The COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium is a catalytic, multi-partner led initiative to support governments in Ghana, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, to introduce and scale up access to new and effective COVID-19 oral antiviral therapies in high-risk populations. Duke GHIC supports the coordination of the consortium, engages with key stakeholders, and conducts critical research and dissemination of insights on the implementation of QuickStart test and treat programs.
Topics
- Access to Medicine / Health
- Financing, Health Policy, Regulation, Universal Health Care
- Health Systems, Primary Care
- Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response / COVID-19
Capabilities
- Capacity Building and Education
- Convening
- Evidence generation through research
Funders/Sponsors
Open Society Foundations; Pfizer; the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Partners
Duke University; Americares; Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI); COVID Collaborative
Related resources
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 14: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response." May 15, 2025 (Report, PDF).
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 13: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response." May 1, 2025 (Report, PDF).
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 12: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response." April 17, 2025 (Report, PDF).
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 11: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response." April 3, 2025 (Report, PDF).
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 10: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response." March 20, 2025 (Report, PDF).
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 9: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response" March 6, 2025 (Report, PDF).
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 7: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response." February 10, 2025 (Report, PDF).
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 6: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” January 23, 2025. (Report, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 5: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” January 10, 2025. (Report, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, December edition." December 18, 2024. (Online newsletter)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 4: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” December 12, 2024. (Report, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 3: Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” November 22, 2024. (Report, PDF)
Rapid establishment of public sector COVID-19 test and treatment programs across seven low- and middle-income countries: Implementation strategies and program monitoring results
Caroline E. Boeke, Nervine Hamza, Chukwuemeka Agwuocha, Okechukwu Amako, Khamsay Detluexay, Michelle Gao, Bridget C. Griffith, Yamikani Gumulira, Elina Urli Hodges, Jessica Joseph, Norman Lufesi, Emily Macharia, Nyuma Mbewe, Elizabeth McCarthy, Faustina O. Mintah, Moses Mukiibi, Mwaba Mulenga, Alida Ngwije, Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, Ijeoma Uzondu Okoli, Sompasong Phongphila, Christian Ramers, Sean Regan, Evarist Twinomujuni, Edson Rwagasore, Jessica Tebor, Krishna Udayakumar
medRxiv 2024.11.21.24317710; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.21.24317710
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Issue 2: Tracking and Analyzing Medical Countermeasures for Emerging Health Challenges: Mpox." November 7, 2024. (Report, PDF)
Mixed methods implementation research of oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19 in low and middle-income countries: a study protocol
Shanti Narayanasamy, Fiona Gambanga, Caroline E. Boeke, Krishna Udayakumar, Leo Brothers, Cameron R. Wolfe, Chukwuemeka Agwuocha, Maame Nkansaa Asamoa-Amoakohene, Khamsay Dethleuxay, Bridget C. Griffith, Nervine Hamza, Jessica Joseph, Philip Kimani, Robert Kirungi, Norman Lufesi, Nyuma Mbewe, Elizabeth McCarthy, Mwaba Mulenga, Moses Mukiibi, Tamara Mwenifumbo, Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, Ijeoma Okoli, Sompasong Phongphila, Sean Regan, Edson Rwagasore, Alan Staple, Jessica Tebor, Wesley Tomno, Sabine Umuraza, Hayden B. Bosworth
medRxiv 2024.10.25.24316111; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.25.24316111
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Tracking and Analyzing Medical Countermeasures for Emerging Health Challenges: Mpox." October 25, 2024. (Report, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, January edition." January 31, 2024. (Online newsletter)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, December edition." December 13, 2024. (Online newsletter)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, November edition." November 9, 2023. (Online newsletter)
Narayanasamy, Shanti; Mulenga, Mwaba; Haimbe, Prudence; Shakwelele, Hilda; Mulenga, Lloyd; Joseph, Jessica; and Bristol, Nellie. "Lessons learned from the rapid rollout of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for COVID-19 treatment in high-risk patients in Zambia ." PLOS BLOGS: Speaking of Medicine and Health. November 1, 2023. (Web article)
Clinton Health Access. "Children left behind in HIV response: takeaways from IAS 2023." July 23, 2023. (Web article)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, July edition." July 11, 2023. (Newsletter, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, May edition." May 23, 2023. (Newsletter, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, March edition." March 20, 2023. (Newsletter, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Laos, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia Have Received Oral Antiviral Treatments for High-Risk Patients Through COVID Treatment Quick Start Consortium." March 16, 2023. (Press release, PDF)
Duke Global Health Innovation Center. "COVID Treatment Quick Start Learning Network Session II: COVID Testing and High Risk Populations." February 15, 2023. (Online training, video and PDF)
Note: an event summary is also available in a PDF document.
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, January edition." January 26, 2023. (Newsletter, PDF)
Zambia Ministry of Health. "Press Briefing: Minister of Health Sylvia T. Masebo, MP, holding an end year press briefing." December 23, 2022. (Online video)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "Zambia Becomes First Country to Receive PAXLOVID through COVID Treatment Quick Start Consortium." December 22, 2022. (Press release, PDF)
Sguazzin, Antony. "Clinton-Backed Initiative Ships Covid Drugs to Africa." Bloomberg Law. December 20, 2022. (Web article)
Mawire, Wallace. "Zambia becomes first country to receive PAXLOVID through COVID Treatment Quick Start Consortium." Pan African Visions. December 20, 2022. (Web article, archived version)
Duke Global Health Innovation Center. "COVID Treatment Quick Start Learning Network Inaugural Meeting." December 7, 2022. (Online training, video and PDF)
Note: an event summary is also available in a PDF document.
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "QuickStart Newsletter, November edition." November 30, 2022. (Newsletter, PDF)
Duke Global Health Innovation Center. "COVID Treatment Quick Start Consortium FAQs." September 7, 2022. (FAQs, PDF)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "The Covid Treatment QuickStart Consortium Virtual Briefing." September 7, 2022. (Online video)
COVID QuickStart Consortium. "10-country partnership in Africa and Southeast Asia—to introduce COVID oral antivirals and national test-and-treat programs—announced by new public-private consortium." September 7, 2022. (Press release, PDF)
Duke Global Health Innovation Center. "COVID Treatment Quick Start Consortium Quote Sheet." September 2022. (Quotations, PDF)
Related news
Thu May 15 2025 - Welcome to the fourteenth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In the wake of the U.S. health agencies’ communications and foreign aid freezes, we hope to serve as a resource… Read more
Thu May 1 2025 - Welcome to the thirteenth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In the wake of the U.S. health agencies’ communications and foreign aid freezes, we hope to serve as a resource… Read more
Wed Apr 30 2025 - This newsletter aims to provide a central hub for information, milestones, and updates regarding the COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium. The COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium partners with governments to rapidly introduce and scale access to COVID-19 oral… Read more
Tue Apr 29 2025 - Rwanda’s Ministry of Health leveraged COVID-19 resources, established through the QuickStart COVID-19 Test-and-Treat Initiative, to respond to the Marburg Virus Disease (MDV) and Claude 1b Mpox outbreak. The Ministry of Health invited the QuickStart team… Read more
Thu Apr 17 2025 - Welcome to the twelfth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In the wake of the U.S. health agencies’ communications and foreign aid freezes, we hope to serve as a resource… Read more
Thu Apr 3 2025 - Welcome to the eleventh issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In the wake of the U.S. health agencies’ communications and foreign aid freezes, we hope to serve as a resource… Read more
Thu Mar 20 2025 - Welcome to the tenth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In the wake of the U.S. health agencies’ communications and foreign aid freezes, we hope to serve as a resource… Read more
Thu Mar 6 2025 - Welcome to the ninth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In the wake of the U.S. health agencies’ communications and foreign aid freezes, we hope to serve as a resource for… Read more
Mon Feb 24 2025 - Welcome to the eighth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In this edition, we provide a comprehensive update on the latest developments and insights across all topic areas, featuring… Read more
Mon Feb 10 2025 - Welcome to the seventh issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In this edition, we provide a comprehensive update on the latest developments and insights across all topic areas, featuring… Read more
Thu Jan 23 2025 - Welcome to the sixth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In this edition, we provide a comprehensive update on the latest developments and insights across all topic areas, featuring… Read more
Fri Jan 10 2025 - Welcome to the fifth issue of our report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In this edition, we provide a comprehensive update on the latest developments and insights across all topic areas, featuring… Read more
Wed Dec 18 2024 - This newsletter aims to provide a central hub for information, milestones, and updates regarding the COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium. The COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium partners with governments to rapidly introduce and scale access to COVID-19 oral… Read more
Thu Dec 12 2024 - Welcome to the fourth issue of our biweekly report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In this edition, we provide a comprehensive update on the latest developments and insights across all topic areas,… Read more
Fri Dec 6 2024 - QuickStart representatives presented the “Rapid introduction of oral antivirals for COVID-19: implementation of a test and treat program in four African countries” poster at the 20th International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID) from 3-6 December… Read more
Fri Nov 22 2024 - Welcome to the third issue of our biweekly report, “Mpox: Transparency and Accountability for the Global Response.” In this edition, we provide a comprehensive update on the latest developments and insights across all topic areas,… Read more
Thu Nov 7 2024 - Welcome to the second issue of our biweekly report, “Tracking and Analyzing Medical Countermeasures for Emerging Health Challenges: Mpox.” In this edition, we provide a comprehensive update on the latest developments and insights across all… Read more
Fri Oct 25 2024 - The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant global inequities in the access to therapeutics, vaccines, testing, and other medical interventions that could limit the range and impact of the disease. These global inequities are not limited to… Read more
Mon Jul 29 2024 - This newsletter aims to provide a central hub for information, milestones, and updates regarding the COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium. The COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium partners with governments to rapidly introduce and scale access to COVID-19… Read more
Wed Jul 10 2024 - Market access to COVID-19 oral therapeutics in low- and middle-income (LMIC) countries was delayed. It took nearly fifteen months from the US FDA emergency use listing for nirmatrelvir/ritonavir to be delivered to the first LMIC… Read more
Wed Apr 17 2024 - This newsletter aims to provide a central hub for information, milestones, and updates regarding the COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium. The COVID Treatment QuickStart Consortium partners with governments to rapidly introduce and scale access to COVID-19… Read more
Tue Mar 26 2024 - Opinion: The lessons learned from COVID-19 test-and-treat programs highlights how test-and-treat programs can improve equitable access to lifesaving treatments in future epidemics. Read the full article via Devex. Authors: Caroline Roan, Krishna Udayakumar
Wed Dec 13 2023 - Zambia was the first QuickStart country to start test and treat using donated Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for high-risk COVID-19 patients. In a recent visit to Lusaka, Zambia for the 3rd Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA),… Read more
Wed Oct 11 2023 - October 11, 2023 By Nellie Bristol Zambia was facing a 5th COVID-19 wave in December 2022, when it gained a new tool to fight the disease: its first ever shipments of oral antivirals. Infectious disease… Read more