KATHMANDU, JUNE 22
Nepal will get a share of the 16 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines that the United States has allocate to Asian nations while announcing the latest donation of 55 million vaccine doses to the world, on Monday.
In the latest donations to COVAX -- the Vaccine pillar of the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator in partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO to developing countries -- the Biden-Harris Administration announced that it would distribute 55 million of the 80 million doses that will be allocated by the end of June.
"As we continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic at home and work to end the pandemic worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world. Part of that plan is donating vaccines from our domestic supply, and the President has pledged 80 million doses to be allocated by the end of June," the White House said.
Earlier this month, the Administration announced its plan for the first 25 million doses that the US had already begun shipping.
For these 80 million doses, the US will share 75% through COVAX and 25% will be targeted to help deal with surges around the world.
"Our goals are to increase global Covid-19 vaccination coverage, prepare for surges and prioritise healthcare workers and other vulnerable populations based on public health data and acknowledged best practice, and help our neighbours and other countries in need," the White House said.
The Biden-Harris Administration will not use its vaccines to secure favours from other countries, it asserted.
India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Bhutan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Cambodia, and the Pacific Islands are among the Asian countries that will share the 16 million doses allocated through COVAX in the announcement.
COVAX will be getting a total of 41 million doses with 14 million earmarked for Latin America and the Caribbean and 10 million for Africa.
Countries including Colombia, Argentina, Haiti, other CARICOM countries, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Cabo Verde, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Oman, West Bank and Gaza, Ukraine, Kosovo, Georgia, Moldova, in addition, get a share of another 14 million being sent directly to several countries based on "regional priorities" to help deal with surges, according to the White House.
The US is committed to expanding local production of vaccines, and through our Quad partnership and the International Development Finance Corporation's support for vaccine manufacturing, more than 1 billion doses will be produced in Africa and India in 2021 and 2022, the White House said.
It further said that this vaccine strategy is a vital component of our overall global effort to lead the world in the fight to defeat COVID-19 and to achieve global health security.
