Ehanire: WHO Targeting 2bn COVID-19 Vaccines for Poor Countries

Ehanire: WHO Targeting 2bn COVID-19 Vaccines for Poor Countries

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire yesterday said that World Health Organisation (WHO) is working on a plan to secure two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are developed.

He said that Nigeria is among the countries partnering the organisation to procure vaccines for the treatment of the virus.

Ehanire who spoke at the media briefing by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 yesterday, disclosed that Nigeria is also working with WHO to finalise enrollment with ACT Accelerator, a global mechanism tracking and sponsoring research organisations working on COVID-19 vaccine development.

He said the reason for partnering WHO is to ensure equitable access to vaccines when they are ready.

“We are also interested in the COVAX facility, a GAVI supported global initiative to procure and assure equitable access to vaccines, as soon as they are available, especially for Lower and lower middle Income Countries (LMIC).

“This will prioritise Nigeria for allocation of a part of two billion vaccines doses that will be secured, in a special plan to protect the interests of poorer countries,” he said.

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