COVID-19: India commences vaccine supply to Africa under COVAX facility

India on Tuesday commenced the distribution of the 'Made in India' vaccines to Africa under the COVAX scheme. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava confirmed the news with a tweet that read, "Fulfilling our commitment to help the world with COVID-19 vaccines supplies of 'Made in India' vaccines commence today under the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access facility, abbreviated as COVAX."

COVAX is a global initiative that seeks equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines led by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and immunization, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and others. 

The photos of the first shipment being loaded onto a truck at Serum's manufacturing facility in Pune were shared by WHO South-East Asia. 

WHO's chief scientist acknowledges India's contribution 

Earlier during a virtual panel discussion, the WHO chief Scientist said, "Not in the next couple of months. This week. (I think) today or tomorrow, the first shipment from India, from the Serum Institute, will be going out to at least 25 or 30 countries and then we hope that this will be followed by the vaccines also that are being manufactured in India. Many countries around the world are waiting for the distribution to happen as they have been watching vaccination programs beginning and scaling in high-income countries, while their own healthcare workers and other vulnerable groups are still waiting."

READ: UN Thanks India For 200,000 Vaccine Doses For Its Peacekeepers; Hails COVAX Aid

Serum Institue to provide COVID-19 vaccines to around 100 countries

Last week, the United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) announced that it has entered an agreement with the Serum Institute of India (SII) for a long-term supply of up to 1.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to around 100 countries.

READ: India's First Vaccine Shipment Under COVAX To Be Rolled Out Soon, To 25-30 Countries: WHO

Also, US President Joe Biden announced a contribution of $4 billion for the global vaccine alliance- COVAX. The aim of this alliance will be to help poor countries. With this, he will also encourage G-7 partners to make good on their pledges to COVAX. The G7 or Group of 7, which comprises the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the EU, vowed to support the initiative and committed a sum of 7.5 billion. To strengthen the COVAX facility, India pledged to provide 2,00,000 Covid vaccine doses for UN peacekeepers. 

(with inputs from ANI)

READ: US To Contribute $4 Billion To WHO's COVAX Scheme, G7 Total To $7.5 Billion

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