UNICEF to lead the global procurement and supply of COVID-19 vaccine (Current Affairs-TKB)

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that it will be leading the global procurement and supply of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to ensure that all the countries have safe, equitable, and fast access to the initial doses when they are available.

UNICEF on the supply of COVID-19 Vaccine:

With several vaccine candidates showing promise, The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Revolving Fund of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), will be leading the efforts to procure and supply doses of Coronavirus vaccine on behalf of the COVAX Global Vaccines facility for 92 low and lower-middle-income countries, whose vaccine purchases will be supported by the mechanism.

The UN Agency will be undertaking these efforts in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), CEPI- the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gavi the vaccine alliance, the World Bank, PAHO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and several other partners.

UNICEF: Largest Vaccine Buyer

Due to its world reach we can say that The United Nations Children’s Fund is the world’s largest single vaccine buyer. It procures more than 2 billion doses of various vaccines annually for the routine immunization and outbreak response on behalf of nearly 100 countries.