WASHINGTON, USA
Though vaccination campaigns have gathered pace globally, the majority of injections have been administered in wealthier countries while many nations have yet to receive a single dose.
The Covax scheme, aimed ensuring equitable access to
Covid-19 vaccines, on Tuesday outlined plans to deliver to 142 countries and
territories by May 31, in its first wave of distribution.
The five biggest confirmed recipients are Pakistan
(14,640,000 doses), Nigeria (13,656,000), Indonesia (11,704,800), Bangladesh
(10,908,000) and Brazil (9,122,400).
They are followed by Ethiopia (7,620,000), the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (5,928,000), Mexico (5,532,000), Egypt (4,389,600) and
Vietnam (4,176,000).
Iran, Myanmar, Kenya and Uganda are also in line for more
than three million doses each.
Overall by the end of May, India is likely to be the
biggest recipient of Covax doses, but its allocation was not finalised before
the publication of the distribution list on Tuesday.
The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is meanwhile set to
receive the smallest number of doses at 4,800, followed by Nauru and Monaco
with 7,200 each.
Covax is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the
Gavi vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
The scheme is aiming to distribute enough doses to vaccinate up to 27 percent
of the population in the 92 poorest participating economies by the end of the
year, with at least 1.3 billion doses intended to go their way.
"Covax's mission is to help end the acute phase of the
pandemic as soon as possible," said Gavi chief executive Seth Berkley.
The first wave of deliveries include some 237 million doses
of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, being manufactured in India and South Korea,
and another 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which requires
special ultra-cold storage.
Both vaccines require two injected doses.
Ghana, Ivory Coast, South Korea, India and Colombia have already received their
first deliveries of vaccines through Covax.
Nigeria, Angola, Cambodia all received their first vaccine
doses via Covax on Tuesday, with the DR Congo also scheduled for a delivery.
Senegal was set to get its first batch on Wednesday, and some 20 countries in
total are due to receive shipments this week.
Ghana received the first flight of Covax AstraZeneca doses
on February 24 -- and President Nana Akufo-Addo publically took the first shot
on Monday.
He said Tuesday it was "imperative" that Africa develops its own
vaccine production capacity to facilitate easy and affordable access to doses.
The African Union Commission will host a meeting on April
12 aimed at developing a roadmap for the continent to start manufacturing
Covid-19 vaccines.
Some 198 countries and territories are participating in
Covax, though not all are in the first wave of distribution.
For the 92 lower- and lower-middle income economies in the
scheme, funding is covered through donations.
For richer countries, buying into Covax's bulk purchases
operates like a back-up insurance policy for their own direct deals with
vaccine producers.
Some wealthy countries were on the distribution list, with
South Korea in line for 2.2 million doses, Canada 1.6 million, Saudi Arabia 1.5
million, Singapore 245,000 and New Zealand 211,000.
Any vaccine being rolled out through Covax requires the WHO
seal of approval - so far given to just the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs.
Novavax will provide 1.1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to Covax, while the facility has also signed deals with Sanofi-GSK, and with Johnson and Johnson.
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