Global vaccine scheme COVAX to distribute COVID jabs only to least covered nations: WHO

World Health Organization will deliver the COVID-19 shots under its COVAX initiative only to the countries with the lowest levels of vaccine coverage, the global health agency said on October 1. The decision was reached as the WHO designed a new global scheme to ensure vaccine equity and fair distribution to cement the gap between the vaccine hoarding nations, and those that were undersupplied. In January, under the COVAX program, WHO planned to deliver the coronavirus vaccine doses to 140-plus beneficiaries, but as some low income developing nations have already procured enough shots or achieved their vaccination targets, the agency will now focus on deliveries to the least supplies countries of the world.

“For the October supply we designed a different methodology, only covering participants with low sources of supply,” Mariangela Simao, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Vaccines, said in a recording of a conference presentation last week posted on the WHO’s website. 

Less than 20% population vaccinated in low-income nations

WHO’s decision to re-strategise the jab delivery comes just 15 months after the launch of COVAX. Simao backed her statements from the WHO data on the presentation as she said that more than 90 under or low developed nations that were poor had managed to inoculate less than 20 per cent population, while the wealthier nations, who have hit 70 per cent coverage, continue to stock the vaccine for the third booster shots. Under the WHO’s COVAX initiative, the global health agency managed to supply 5 million doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Sinopharm vaccines to the financially struggling countries of the world. 

“As the global solution designed around equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, COVAX’s strategy will continue to adapt as the pandemic evolves.”  Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, WHO’s vaccine alliance said in a statement. 

In a meeting held earlier this year, Gavi Board approved new funding of US$ 799 million to support the delivery of COVAX-funded doses in lower-income economies, in addition to a previously approved envelope of US$ 150 million in delivery support for the poorest nations. COVAX has so far delivered over 313 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and with vaccine supply now increasing significantly, the Board emphasized, as it stressed the importance of pivoting to a “more intense focus on delivery.” 

“For many countries, COVAX is one of the primary sources of supply of COVID-19 vaccines, and we must ensure we best serve their needs. As we embark on our most intense period for deliveries yet, COVAX will also continue to focus on strengthening in-country vaccine deployment and even closer coordination with partners such as the African Union,” Berkley, CEO of Gavi, WHO’s vaccine alliance said.

He continued, “COVAX will also need to focus further on protecting routine immunization programmes and explore opportunities for integration with Gavi’s core strategy, with its particular focus on marginalized and missed communities”.