Ghana to receive world’s first 2,412,000 free Covax COVID-19 vaccine doses

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

Ghana, a West African country, is to receive the first ever shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from Covax, a global scheme to procure and distribute inoculations for free to poor countries Wednesday, February 24, 2021.

The UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) in a joint statement said: “We are pleased that Ghana has become the first country to receive the COVID-19 vaccines from the Covax facility.”

UNICEF organised the shipment from Mumbai, India, agency report said.

The United Nations (UN) body stated that the 600,000 doses are part of an initial tranche of deliveries of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine licensed to the Serum Institute of India.

These “represent part of the first wave of COVID vaccines headed to several low and middle-income countries,” said UNICEF.

Ghana is said to have recorded 80,759 COVID-19 cases and 582 deaths since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

These figures are believed to fall short of the real toll as the number of tests is low, according to report.

Meanwhile, trontline workers in Ghana are meant to be the first to receive the vaccine.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said: “In the days ahead, frontline workers will begin to receive vaccines.

“The next phase in the fight against this disease can begin – the ramping up of the largest immunisation campaign in history.”

Covax, led by Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), said it would deliver two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to its members by the end of the year, including 2,412,000 doses to Ghana.