UAE launches 'logistics alliance' to deliver WHO's COVID-19 vaccine doses worldwide

Dubai on Sunday announced "logistics alliance" to ensure speedy delivery of over 2 billion doses of vaccines worldwide under the World Health Organisation's (WHO) COVAX initiative. According to the government of Dubai, the Vaccines Logistics Alliance will bring major players from various sectors together to coordinate better in order to speed up the distribution of vaccines around the world, especially in low-income countries. The initiative has been launched under the directives of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. 

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"The Dubai Vaccines Logistics Alliance combines the expertise and global reach of Emirates airline with DP World’s worldwide network of ports and logistics operations, along with the infrastructure of Dubai Airports and International Humanitarian City to distribute vaccines worldwide. The distribution will particularly focus on emerging markets, where populations have been hard-hit by the pandemic, and pharmaceutical transport and logistics are challenging," Emirates Sky Cargo said in a statement. 

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Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Airline and uncle of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said that the logistics alliance will ensure that worldwide distribution of vaccines is expedited by bringing together key organisations who have both the capability and the reach to transport urgently-needed vaccines across the globe. "Together, we are able to store a large volume of vaccine doses at a time and bring in and distribute vaccines to any point around the world within 48 hours," Sheikh Ahmed said. 

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UAE campaign receives worldwide recognition 

The UAE launched its own vaccination drive last month and has received worldwide recognition for its effective vaccination campaign. The United Arab Emirates is currently leading the world in terms of vaccinations as it has inoculated over 3.3 million of its 9.8 million people so far. The country is only behind Israel in terms of total vaccinations per capita, administering doses at a speed of 33.7 per hundred people. 

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(Image Credit: Emirates/Website)