ACCRA, Ghana — Ghana has actually ended up being the very first nation on the planet to get vaccines gotten through the United Nations-backed COVAX effort with a shipment of 600,000 dosages of the AstraZeneca vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India.
The vaccines, provided by UNICEF, got to Accra’s worldwide airport early Wednesday and belong to the very first wave of Covid-19 vaccines being sent out by COVAX, a global cooperative program formed to make certain low- and middle-income nations have reasonable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
COVAX is led by the United Nation’s World Health Organization; Gavi, a vaccine group; and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI.
Ghana is amongst 92 low-and middle-income nations that are getting vaccines free of charge through COVAX. Another 90 nations and 8 areas have actually accepted pay if they select to get vaccines through COVAX.
The West African country of 30 million has actually taped 81,245 cases and 584 deaths considering that the start of the pandemic, according to figures from Ghana’s Health Services Tuesday.
Ghana’s vaccination project will start March 2 and will be carried out in stages amongst prioritized groups, starting with health employees, grownups of 60 years and over, individuals with underlying health conditions, frontline executive, legislature, judiciary, and their associated personnel, Ghana’s acting Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah stated in a declaration.
“The government of Ghana remains resolute at ensuring the welfare of all Ghanaians and is making frantic efforts to acquire adequate vaccines to cover the entire population through bilateral and multi-lateral agencies,” he stated.
In a joint declaration, the nation agents of UNICEF and WHO explained the arrival of the COVAX vaccines as a “momentous occasion” crucial to bringing the pandemic to an end.
“After a year of disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic … the path to recovery for the people of Ghana can finally begin,” stated the declaration.
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The COVAX delivery to Ghana is the start of what will be the world’s biggest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history, according to the declaration. COVAX prepares to provide near 2 billion dosages of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide this year.
“Today marks the historic moment for which we have been planning and working so hard. With the first shipment of doses, we can make good on the promise of the COVAX Facility to ensure people from less wealthy countries are not left behind in the race for life-saving vaccines,” stated Henrietta Fore, UNICEF’s executive director.
“The next phase in the fight against this disease can begin -– the ramping up of the largest immunization campaign in history,” said Fore. “Each step on this journey brings us further along the path to recovery for the billions of children and families affected around the world.”
