The global effort to distribute 2 billion COVID-19 vaccines to at-risk populations has reached 121 countries and territories, with Latter-day Saint Charities supporting UNICEF’s role in the initiative.
With its $20 million grant to UNICEF, Latter-day Saint Charities — the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — is aiding the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator and the vaccines arm of the ACT Accelerator, called the COVAX Facility
COVAX is a global effort among the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; UNICEF; the Pan American Health Organization; and the World Health Organization. And the initiative provides an equitable rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments to people from vulnerable communities.
The Latter-day Saint Charities donation to UNICEF was announced two months ago.
“It is unprecedented in the history of the world where partners have come together to make this happen and to bring a vaccine which is going to be lifesaving to countries all over the world,” said Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF’s representative in India, in an April 30 report on Newsroom.
India is among the many countries still experiencing intense transmission of the coronavirus, according to WHO.
This week marks World Immunization Week, which runs from April 24 to April 30. Celebrated every April, it promotes the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.
The first international delivery of 600,000 vaccines reached Ghana in February. Since April 23, 2021, the one-year anniversary of the launch of the ACT Accelerator, over 49 million vaccine doses have been shipped around the world. The vaccines, supplied by the COVAX Facility and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, were shipped to the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana’s capital.
For more information about the initiative and responses from recipients in Ghana, South Sudan and Kenya, please see the complete article on Newsroom.
