Africa to Receive 90 Million Vaccines from COVAX

Africa is set to receive nearly 90 million COVID-19 vaccines in February in what will be the continent’s “largest ever mass vaccination campaign, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The COVAX Facility is the global pooled procurement mechanism for COVID-19 vaccines through which it will ensure fair and equitable distribution.

In the statement on Thursday, Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said: “Africa has watched other regions start COVID-19 vaccination campaigns from the side-lines for too long. This planned roll-out is a critical first step to ensuring the continent gets equitable access to vaccines,” the CNN reported.

Most vaccines will be AstraZeneca/Oxford and subject to the ones being listed for emergency use by WHO.

Meantime, WHO is currently reviewing the vaccine and the outcome of the review is expected soon.

The statement added that around 320,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which has received WHO Emergency Use Listing — have been allocated to four African countries, including Cabo Verde, Rwanda, South Africa and Tunisia, which are able to store and distribute doses at minus 70 degrees Celsius.

The initial phase of 90 million doses will support countries to immunize 3% of the African population most in need of protection, including health workers and other vulnerable groups in the first half of 2021.

WHO says it aims to vaccinate at least 20% of Africans by providing up to 600 million doses by the end of 2021.