The AstraZeneca Africa Director, Barbara Nel, has disclosed that inadequate distribution of AstraZeneca vaccine in the Africa region, particularly Ghana, can be attributed to the “devastating COVID-19 second wave that happened in India”
She said this in an interview on the Point of View on Citi TV.
“It is a very disturbing image map and the situation that we have in Africa right now has reached a critical point. I think one of the key thing is, in February, March we saw a lot of initial donations coming in, we saw Ghana leading the way, the first recipient of COVAX vaccines, and it was almost a bit of a competition between Ghana and Ivory Coast, who is going to administer the first vaccine and in the course of this a really devastating second wave that we saw in India, and one of the things that happened to the export from India, is that there was basically a ban put on that, and that has caused this gap.”
Meanwhile, COVAX dependent countries are expected to receive a total of 1.6 billion fully funded COVID-19 vaccines later this year through to 2022.
According to her, countries that have successfully vaccinated the vast majority of their populace and still have excess vaccines are donating them to countries that are struggling to vaccinate their people.
She indicated that the challenge with AstraZeneca’s distribution of adequate vaccines to African countries was as a result of the deadly second wave that hit India and subsequently led to a ban on the exportation of AstraZeneca vaccines by the Serum Institute of India, which is one of the world’s leading COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer.
“There has been a significant breakthrough that has happened in the last couple of weeks through a Japan summit … where countries that have an excess of vaccines are essentially donating.”
“And what we currently know within the COVAX facility there is commitment around 1.6 billion fully funded doses in 2021, and into 2022. So we continue to work very closely as AstraZeneca through COVAX with both governments that should be receiving vaccines such as what we have here in Ghana as well as governments that can be donating to ensure that the vaccines are flowing.” She said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
