The COVAX vaccine facility, the international program developed for equitable access to coronavirus shots, has delivered nearly 38.4 million doses to more than 100 economies, within 42 days it started international supplies.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVAX has now delivered over 38 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines across six continents, supplied by three manufacturers including AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech and the Serum Institute of India (SII).
Even though the supply availability in March and April was reduced and the demand for COVID-19 vaccines increased in India, COVAX expects to deliver doses to all participating economies that have requested for vaccines in the first half of 2021.
According to GAVI vaccine alliance and WHO, out of the more than 100 countries it reached, 61 are among the 92 lower-income economies that are receiving vaccines funded through the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), a financing mechanism to support the low- and middle-income countries for vaccine procurement.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director-General WHO
“COVAX has given the world the best way to ensure the fastest, most equitable rollout of safe and effective vaccines to all at-risk people in every country on the planet. If we are going to realize this great opportunity, countries, producers and the international system must come together to prioritize vaccine supply through COVAX. Our collective future, literally, depends on it.”
According to the latest supply forecast, COVAX estimates to deliver at least 2 billion doses of vaccines in 2021 and it is planning to diversify its portfolio, which currently includes AstraZeneca and the Pfizer-BioNTech shots, to reach the goal.
Meanwhile, last month it was announced that the US government will host the launch event for the 2021 Gavi COVAX Invest opportunity to bring further support for accelerating the access to vaccines for AMC-supported economies.
COVAX
COVAX is a global vaccine program, aimed to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, led by a coalition that includes Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and WHO. The key objective of COVAX is to buy vaccines in bulk and distribute it to poorer nations that can’t compete with rich countries in securing contracts with the major drug companies.
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