Unicef seeks US$2,5bn to procure COVID-19 vaccines for poor countries
THE United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) is set to launch a US$2,5 billion fund which will see low- and middle-income countries, including Zimbabwe accessing COVID-19 supplies, including testing kits and vaccines.
In a statement yesterday, Unicef said the facility, which will run under the theme The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator Supplies Financial Facility, will target those not financially covered by the Covax facility.
The fund would also provide an opportunity for donors to join one of the world’s largest vaccine supply operations.
Unicef Zimbabwe spokesperson James Maiden said the southern African country would benefit from the programme. “Zimbabwe is a member of the Covax facility so it will be receiving vaccine support through that fund,” Maiden said.
Unicef director Etleva Kadilli added: “An undertaking of this magnitude requires immediate support, which is why Unicef has established the ACT-A Supplies Financing Facility.
“The facility serves as one of the most efficient and most impactful vehicles for supporting the global COVID-19 response by making targeted interventions to get supplies to where they are needed at competitive prices.”
The government of Denmark is said to have donated US$4,8 million to the fund for immunisation supplies for Africa.
Health deputy minister John Mangwiro told NewsDay that there was no need to panic as the country had already mobilised funds to buy 10 million doses.
“The funds that are currently there can only buy 10 million doses but that does not mean we will stop there. We will continue to buy if there is need until we reach herd immunity. We are doing it in stages,” Mangwiro said.
Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike said there was need for government to purchase and solicit for more COVID-19 vaccines.
“Depending on whether we use a vaccine that requires one or two doses, anywhere between 10 and 20 million doses will be needed, along with a massive roll-out effort to achieve herd immunity. This cannot be done by the government alone. The people of Zimbabwe must be central to this effort.
“A critical lesson that Zimbabwe has learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is the need to invest in and build its own capacity and capabilities for manufacturing of vaccines,” Rusike said.