Tedros Adanom Gebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said about 2 billion doses of new coronavirus vaccines had been contracted. Gebreyesus said the vaccines would reach poor countries in the first half of 2021, Qadin.Net reports quoting publika.az. At the joint initiative of the Upper Global Vaccination and Immunization Union (GAVI) and the Innovation Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI), 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine are planned to be distributed to 92 middle and low-income countries next year.
Speaking at a press conference organized by the three organizations, WHO Director-General Tedros Adanom Gebreyesus said that 190 countries have participated in the Global Access Program (COVAX).
Pointing to the importance of COVAX, which is designed to support low- and middle-income countries in rich countries, Gebreyesus said that several promising vaccines for COVAX have reached about 2 billion doses. "COVID-19 vaccines will reach poor countries in the first half of 2021, thanks to unprecedented agreements.
The production of vaccines allows us to see the light at the end of the tunnel. WHO has agreed with AstraZeneca to vaccinate 170 million doses through COVAX. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with Johnson and Johnson for 500 million doses of vaccine. The COVAX contracts include 200 million doses of the Indian Serum Institute's (SII) vaccine and are being negotiated with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, the WHO official concluded.