New Delhi (NVI): The UN Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and British–Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has signed a long-term agreement for the supply of COVID-19 vaccine among 85 countries on behalf of the COVAX facility.
This is the third agreement for COVID-19 vaccines, following previously announced agreements with Pfizer and the Serum Institute of India (SII), the UNICEF said in a release.
Under the supply agreement, the UN agency along with procurement partners including the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), will have access to up to 170 million doses of or around 85 countries.
On February 15, the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine received emergency use listing (EUL) approval from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The UN agency also said that deliveries of the vaccine are planned to begin in the first quarter of 2021.
“In line with the COVAX Allocation Framework, which takes into consideration several factors including country readiness, national regulatory authorizations and completed contractual provisions, as well as operating and supply considerations,” it added.
COVAX facility aims to provide at least two billion doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of this year, which will help protect frontline healthcare and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups.
Its goal is to ensure that safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines are rapidly available and affordable to all countries around the world, regardless of income level.
This supply agreement will enable access to 170 million doses guaranteed under the Advance Purchase Agreement (APA) with AstraZeneca, which will be available throughout 2021.
Earlier on February 11, UNICEF announced the signing of an agreement with Pfizer for the supply of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, following on from an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to access 2 vaccines through technology transfer from AstraZeneca which has been granted WHO EUL and Novavax, which is subject to the approval of the vaccine by WHO, the release said.
The COVAX facility, co- led by the Gavi Alliance for Vaccines (Gavi) the Coalition for the Promotion of Innovations for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) and the WHO, aims to achieve equitable access to the coronavirus vaccine worldwide, it added.
-RJV
