KINGSTON, Jamaica \u2014 Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr Carissa Etienne, says 28.7 million doses of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines are slated for delivery to member countries through to May under the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility.<\/p>\n
Speaking during PAHO’s COVID-19 digital briefing on Wednesday, Dr Etienne said regional countries participating in COVAX and their global counterparts were each informed, via the Facility, of the number of doses they will receive over the period.<\/p>\n
She noted that some countries have already made preparations for the vaccines’ arrival, adding that PAHO is placing orders \u201cand readying several COVAX deliveries in our region\u2026 with shipments likely to arrive in mid-March\u201d.<\/p>\n
The director pointed out, however, that a few countries still need to approve the COVAX contracts, ensuring they have the proper regulations in place, and make their payments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis can be a complicated process, as some countries will need to sign new legislation to meet these COVAX requirements. We urge our member states to make this a priority, so they can receive these long-awaited doses,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Dr Etienne noted that throughout the pandemic, countries globally have grappled with shortages of essential medical supplies like medicines, diagnostic tests, personal protective equipment and oxygen, adding that \u201cwe face the same challenge with vaccines\u201d.<\/p>\n
She said manufacturers are \u201cworking around the clock\u201d to produce more doses, and new vaccine candidates are being reviewed and included in the WHO Emergency Use Listing, \u201cso more vaccines will, hopefully, be available soon\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs more doses are produced, we’ll see several waves of shipments arriving in the region every month,\u201d the director noted.<\/p>\n
Pointing out that, in the interim, doses \u201cwill remain limited\u201d, Dr Etienne emphasised that these must be used wisely and, in the process, prioritise persons deemed most at risk.<\/p>\n
These, she said, include health workers, the elderly and people living with pre-existing conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cPAHO is committed to ensuring that our region receives the doses we need as quickly as possible. In the meantime, our member states are [largely] ready to roll out these vaccines and PAHO stands by for any support they need,\u201d Dr Etienne added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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