PAHO reported that Venezuela must pay an advance of $ 18 million to receive COVID-19 vaccines from Covax

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday that Venezuela must pay $ 18 million advance to receive covid-19 vaccines that you have booked through the Covax Global Access System.

“In the Americas, the PAHO Revolving Fund for Vaccines is the mechanism through which countries gain access to Covax vaccines,” said Ciro Ugarte, PAHO’s Director of Health Emergencies. “How much do you have to pay [Venezuela]? That’s an initial advance of $ 18 million, that’s what it takes to be able to secure the vaccines“, he stressed.

PAHO reported in early February that Venezuela has reserved between 1.4 million and 2.4 million doses of anticovid vaccines under Covax, a system promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure the equitable distribution of covid-19 vaccines around the world.

But PAHO, a regional body of the WHO, warned that Venezuela ran the risk of losing the reserve if it did not pay the advance it was due to be considered a self-sufficient country.

Venezuela is one of 37 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that are planning to receive anti-ovoid vaccines through Covax. But it is not among the 10 countries that will benefit from a free vaccination because of its economic status or the size of its population.

Ugarte said the number of vaccines Venezuela would receive immediately after the initial payment depends on product availability and the progress of preparation. implement vaccination, which involves, among other things, legal, operational, logistical and personnel training and cold chain aspects.

The goal is that these processes can be accelerated “And once the first payment is made, Venezuela can receive the Covax vaccines as soon as possible and start the vaccination according to the vaccination plan that would be approved, ”he said.

With 30 million inhabitants, Venezuela, which participated in the Sputnik V clinical trials, adds 133,927 confirmed cases and 1,292 deaths from covid-19, according to official figures, interviewed by organizations such as Human Rights Watch.

On Wednesday, Nicolás Maduro announced that on Thursday the vaccination of health workers will start but with the first 100,000 doses of Russian vaccine Sputnik V, which arrived in the country last Saturday. “Tomorrow, Thursday February 18, we start all vaccination of the country’s health workers,” Maduro said at a press conference.

Maduro also said his government had invested $ 200 million to buy these doses of the Russian vaccine.

By reiterating that Mass vaccination is scheduled for April, the president said in addition to health workers, members of parliament will also be vaccinated, mainly Chavista, as well as security personnel, both police and military, and other government officials.

The vaccination plan includes “authorities who, because of their street work, justify (…) their special protection so that the State continues its march“Likewise, the deputies will be vaccinated in this first stage”, he indicated, noting the death of several mayors and high officials of Chavism by the covid-19.

The lot that arrived in the country on Saturday represents 1% of the total agreed in November with Russia by a delegation from the government of the Caribbean country during a visit to Moscow. We don’t know yet when the next installment will be.

With information from AFP and EFE

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