UNICEF is running an initiative to procure and distribute Covid-19 vaccines to 92 low and middle income countries.
UNICEF’s goal is to protect some of the world’s most vulnerable children who have restricted support and access to a good health system, a good education and a positive future.
To achieve this, they use their technical expertise together with partners to tackle the root of several, deeply entrenched challenges – however, progress that has been made over the past number of years has been hindered due to COVID-19.
UNICEF’s Vaccine Fund provides members the opportunity to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and through their support of UNICEF’s world-leading vaccination programmes in over 100 countries, Vaccine Fund members deliver impact for children at a truly global scale. The organisation is now on a mission to make two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines available across 190 countries by the end of 2021.
“Unicef’s COVID-19 Vaccine Fund does a remarkable job in helping to make this happen, protecting families and communities from COVID-19. We are delighted to contribute and support this health campaign to help relieve any pressure they have faced due to threats from the past year. We believe everyone should be able to have access to the vaccine.” said Conor Shaw, CEO of Bizimply.
To respond, global organisations are coming together. UNICEF has joined with partners WHO, in the ground-breaking COVAX initiative to guarantee fair and impartial access for people all across the world. In what is quite a remarkable effort, UNICEF will lead the global procurement and aim to deliver billions of vaccine doses in order to help the world’s 92 poorest countries deliver the largest health campaign.
The first stage of this task involves:
- Diagnostic tests and treatments to identify those infected to save their lives.
- Syringes and specialist supplies for safe administration of the vaccine. This year alone, UNICEF will stockpile 520 million syringes and 5 million safe disposal boxes.
- Cold chain equipment to keep vaccines effective from manufacture right through to the ‘last mile’ –transported by foot, boat, motorbike or donkey to some of the world’s most remote locations.
- Training for health workers so they can safely distribute the brand-new vaccines, tests and medications they are using for the first time in their working lives.
- Delivering trusted and accurate information to tackle rumours and fake news -reaching people with accurate messages in the right languages, whether by megaphone, posters, community leaders, or TV, radio and social media.
How Can You Take Action to Support UNICEF Right Now?
If you want to know more about the amazing work COVAX and UNICEF are doing together to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to some of the most vulnerable communities, check out UNICEF website.
