Unicef to undertake the largest ever procurement plan for Covid vaccines
U nice fi stole ad pro curement and supply of Covid-19 vaccines in the world’s largest and fastest operation of its kind ever undertaken, which will involve 28 vaccine manufacturers from ten countries.
The United Nations agen - cy who provide humanitarian aid to children worldwide are par t of a global plan led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, designed to guarantee rap - id, fair and equitable access to coronavirus jabs for ever y country in the world – rich and poor.
With several vaccine can - did at es showing promise,
Unicef will lead efforts to procure and supply doses of Covid-19 vaccines for 92 low and lower middle -income countries whose vaccine purchases will be supported, as well as providing a buffer stockpile for humanitarian emergencies. The agency will also serve as the co-ordinator to support procurement by 80 higher-income economies, which have expressed their intent to participate in the initiative and would finance the vaccines from their own public finance.
Unicef say if vaccine trials are successful, enough syringes would be needed to inject the vaccines and are therefore buying millions of them with Gavi’s backing and shipping them in advance.
In the worst-case scenario, if no Covid-vaccine is successful, Unicef will still be able to use them in immunisation programmes across low and middle-income countries.