Covid-19: Pledges made towards equitable supply of vaccines through Covax

Covax aims to supply around 2 billion Covid-19 doses to low-income countries by the end of 2021.

Several countries, including the US and France, and drug companies have pledged to donate towards the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility or Covax initiative. In order to prevent hoarding of Covid-19 vaccines, WHO started the ambitious initiative of Covax. It was rolled out in April last year by the UN health body in collaboration with the Global Vaccine Alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to help 180 poor countries.

The initiative focuses on accelerated manufacture and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines for free and equitable access to all. (AP)

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also highlighted the major inequality as he said more than 75 per cent of the Covid-19 vaccines have been administered by the rich nations.

The first interim distribution forecast was released by Covax on February 3. The proposed coverage "is in line with the Facility target to reach at least 3% population coverage in all countries in the first half of the year, enough to protect the most vulnerable groups such as health care workers,” the forecast had said.

Covax aims to supply around 2 billion Covid-19 doses to low-income countries by the end of 2021. The initiative focuses on accelerated manufacture and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines for free and equitable access to all.

Here what countries and companies have pledged towards Covax:

1. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday has said that the country will donate surplus coronavirus vaccines to developing countries. The donation of the vaccines will be apart from the 548 million pounds donated to the program. Johnson also aims to encourage other countries to boost their funding to Covax during the G7 virtual meet.

2. Novavax Inc will also supply 1.1 billion doses of its experimental coronavirus vaccines. Novavax with its manufacturing and distribution partner Serum Institute of India has pledged the commitment.

3. The US has targeted a contribution of $4 billion to the global program for equitable inoculation. President Joe Biden will announce the commitment of funds during the Group of Seven call on Friday.

4. France has also committed to donating 5 per cent of the secured Covid-19 vaccine supplies to low-income countries through Covax.

(With agency inputs)