Coronavirus - Africa: COVID-19 Vaccine shipments to Africa ramp up

COVAX aims to ship 520 million doses to Africa by the end of 2021. COVID-19 vaccine deliveriesfrom the African Union’s Africa Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) are picking up, with aprojected rise to 10 million each month from September. Around 45 million doses are expected from AVAT by the year’s end.

So far, almost 79 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have arrived in Africa and 21 million people, or just 1.6% of Africa’s population, are fully vaccinated. High-income countries have given 61 times more doses per person than low-income countries. To fully vaccinate 30% of Africa’s population by the end of 2021, the continent needs up to 820 million doses, considering a two-dose schedule.

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel on vaccine deliveries to Africa but it must not be snuffed out again. I urge all countries with surplus doses tourgently share more in the spirit of life-saving solidarity and enlightened self-interest, because no country is safe until all countries are safe. I urge African countries to gear up and get ready, as our droughtisfinally ending,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa.

Tanzaniahas kickedoff its COVID-19 vaccination campaignafter receiving the first delivery of around 1 milliondoses, a donationof the Johnson & Johnson vaccinefrom the United States Government, through COVAX on 24 July. Tanzania joined COVAX on 15 June.

COVAX recently clinched new deals with Sinopharm and Sinovac to rapidly supply 110 million more doses to low-income countries. COVAX and the World Bank are set to further boost COVID-19 vaccine supply for developing countries through a newcost-sharingarrangement thatallows low-income countries to purchase doses beyond the fully donor-subsidized doses they are already receiving from COVAX.

The rise in vaccine shipments comes as Africa sees its second week of falling case numbers after a steep and unbroken eight-week surge. Reported case numbers fell by 18% from over 282 000 to 230 500 in theweek ending on 25 July. The decline was largely driven by South Africa, which accounts for 37% of all reported cases, and Tunisia, which accounts for 8%.

Twenty-two African countries saw cases rise by over 20% for at least two weeks running in theweek to 25 Julyand reported deaths rose in 17 African countries to nearly 6300 on the continentin the same week.Thehighly transmissible Delta variant has been found in26African countries. The Alpha variant has been detected in38 countries and Beta variant in 35.

“Africa is still in the throes of a third wave. The limited slowdown in cases is heartening and cause for a very cautious optimism, but we are far from out of the woods yet. We must all stay vigilant. One third of all African countries are still living through a dangerous resurgence and we must stick with the prevention measures that we know save lives, like mask wearing, good hand hygiene and physical distancing,” said Dr Moeti.

Dr Moeti spoke during a virtual press conference today with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.