November 29 ------ Nearly two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be transported to 92 countries worldwide in 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday. UNICEF said it is working with major global airlines including the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and more than 350 logistic partners for the transportation of the vaccines as soon as they become available. “This invaluable collaboration will go a long way to ensure that enough transport capacity is in place for this historic and mammoth operation,” Director of UNICEF’s Supply Division Etleva Kadilli said in a statement.
“We need all hands on deck as we get ready to deliver COVID-19 vaccine doses, syringes, and more personal protective equipment to protect front line workers around the globe. By protecting these workers, we are ultimately protecting the millions of children who depend on their critical services,” Kadili added. In collaboration with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UNICEF said it will coordinate the purchase and delivery for 92 low and lower middle-income economies as quickly and securely as possible. The agency underscored that it will continue to coordinate closely with logistics operators to minimize disruptions of delivery around the world.
“The support of governments, partners, and private sector will be paramount to transport vaccines for deadly diseases such as measles, diphtheria, and tetanus, as well as for COVID-19, as efficiently as possible,” Kadilli said. UNICEF had earlier begun to stockpile more than one billion syringes to guarantee initial supply and preposition in advance the COVID-19 vaccines.
Source: mb.com.ph