“At last! A day to celebrate, but it's just the first step.” Those were the words tweeted by the director general of the WHO in response to the news that Ghana has received its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines. It was a day to celebrate.
ANNE-CLAIRE DUFAY
UNICEF
“Today we are at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra in Ghana, and this is really a historic moment. Today we are very happy to receive the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility.”
The COVAX program aims to distribute approximately two billion vaccines in 2021 to lower-income countries that can't afford them. The shipment to Ghana contains 600,000 doses.
ANNE-CLAIRE DUFAY
UNICEF
“So, these COVAX vaccines are going on the temperature control truck, and then will be sent to the EPI cool room. We're very happy because they are going to benefit a large number of beneficiaries in Ghana. Ghana is the first country to receive the COVAX vaccines.”
COVAX is an international effort. Under its umbrella, rich and poor countries have worked to bring the vaccine to lower-income countries as quickly as possible.
Its primary representatives are UNICEF, the WHO and the Alliance for Vaccines (GAVI).
Javier Romero
