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COVAX Supplied Coronavirus Vaccinations Underway in Africa

VOA News

   A mass vaccination effortagainst COVID-19 isgetting underwayinAfrica
   this weekthrough the World Health Organization's COVAX initiative.

   The Ivory Coastand Ghana on Monday began vaccinating health careand
   essential workerswith theAstraZenecavaccine provided tolow- and
   middle-income countries,whichhave difficultyacquiring dosesbecause of
   thelimited global supplyandlogistical problems.

   Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo said the COVAX vaccine represents
   amilestone to get the country back to business andre-buildthe economy.

   Ghana is reporting more than 84,000coronavirusinfections and 607
   deaths, while theIvoryCoast has confirmed more than 32,700 coronavirus
   infections and 192 deaths,according toJohns Hopkins University COVID
   Resource Center.
   A shipment of COVID-19 vaccines distributed by the COVAX Facility
   arrives in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Feb. 25, 2021. Ivory Coast is the
   second country in the world after Ghana to receive vaccines acquired
   through the U.N.-backed COVAX initiative.

   TheWHOsaid 24 other African countriesstill trying to control the spread
   the coronavirusare expected to begin receiving doses of the vaccine
   this week through the COVAX program.

   WHO Director-GeneralDr.Tedros AdhanomGhebreyesus saidtheroll out of the
   firstbatchesofvaccine is justthebeginning ofwhat COVAX aims to achieve,
   citing itis theagency'sgoal of starting vaccination in all countries
   within the first 100 days of this year.

   Additionally, Colombia became the first country in the Americas to use
   vaccines from COVAX on Monday.

   Colombian authorities say thefirst batch of the Pfizer vaccine
   willbeused on the most vulnerable population.

   Colombia, whichalready hasavaccination program, has confirmed more than
   174,000 infections and 6,482 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins
   University Covid Resource Center.

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