Ghana to receive AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by end of February | Health

Ghana is expected to receive approximately 2.4 million initial doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by the end of February 2021 as part of the UN COVAX facility, it has been announced.

According to an intermediate distribution forecast released by the COVAX facility on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, the shipment is expected to cover at least 3% of Ghana’s population.

He said the shipment was part of 240 million doses of AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine licensed to the Serum Institute of India (SII) that have been set aside for initial distribution to countries that are part of the COVAX facility.

Some 144 countries will also receive vaccines subject to the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use List (EUL) during the same period.

According to the COVAX distribution forecast, based on the limited amount of doses available, the list of participants was reduced through a WHO-led review process based on four factors, including country readiness. , as well as a health care risk assessment. worker exposure.

23 update from President Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 23rd national update on government measures to stem the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana announced plans to procure 17.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June, the first doses arriving in March.

According to the president, “Our goal is to immunize the entire population, with an initial target of 20 million people.”

He noted that only vaccines evaluated and declared safe would be purchased and administered.

What is COVAX

COVAX is the vaccine pillar of the COVID-19 Access to Tools Accelerator (ACT).

ACT Accelerator is a revolutionary global collaboration aimed at accelerating the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.

COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the WHO. Its goal is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and to ensure fair and equitable access for all countries around the world.