KIU, Western Campus – The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is leading efforts to procure and supply COVID-19 vaccines in what could possibly be the world’s largest and fastest ever procurement and supply of vaccines, according to a press release from UNICEF.

The campaign is part of the global vaccine plan of the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX Facility) led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

UNICEF will procure and supply doses of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the COVAX Facility for 92 low- and lower-middle-income countries whose vaccine purchases will be supported by the mechanism through the Gavi COVAX AMC as well as a buffer stockpile for humanitarian emergencies. 

UNICEF will undertake these efforts in close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners. The COVAX Facility is open to all countries to ensure that no country is left without access to a future COVID-19 vaccine.

This means that Uganda stands to benefit from this plan as the country continues to face rising cases of COVID-19 cases, especially community transmissions after the easing of COVID-19 lockdown measures in July.