- The United States have announced that it will donate approximately 25 million COVID-19 vaccines to be distributed in Africa in line with the pledge made by President Joe Biden in May to share 80 million doses globally.
- The vaccines, Johnson & Johnson will be shipped to Burkina Faso, Djibouti and Ethiopia in the next few days.
The United States has announced that it will donate approximately 25 million COVID-19 vaccines to be distributed in Africa in line with the pledge made by President Joe Biden in May to share 80 million doses globally. The vaccines, Johnson & Johnson will be shipped to Burkina Faso, Djibouti and Ethiopia in the next few days. Additionally, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer vaccines will be made available to 49 African countries.
The initiative is being taken in partnership with the African Union, the Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC), the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust, the Afreximbank, and the Covax collaborative for equitable vaccine distribution. COVAX will receive the vaccines from the U.S. It is expected to receive 620 million doses to be distributed in Africa by the end of 2021, rising to 1 billion doses by the end of the first quarter of 2022.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa said that pandemic deaths in Africa have been climbing steadily during the past few weeks. It is reported that the spread across Africa of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), first identified in India in December, is driving the current wave of escalating infections. Welcoming the U.S. vaccine contribution, Gavi CEO Dr. Seth Berkley, said that collective action is needed to battle a surge in cases in Africa. The continent has recorded a 43 percent weekly rise in Covid cases, with over six million confirmed cases. The actual number is likely to be far higher due to the limited availability of testing.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn also announced Germany’s agreement to donate about 30 million Covid vaccine doses this week at a media conference at WHO Geneva headquarters. He pledged Euro260 million for tests, treatments and vaccines.
