US announces 500 Million Vaccine doses to Poor Countries

United States President Joe Biden has announced to donate 500 million doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to poorest countries across world to end the pandemic as soon as possible.

Key Points

• This donation is a bold move which showed, US recognises its responsibility towards world as well as its citizens.
• US will provide these half billion doses with no strings attached.
• Vaccine donations don’t include pressure for favours or potential concessions.
• US has committed to buy and donate 500 million Pfizer doses to distribute under global COVAX alliance to 92 lower-income countries and African Union.
• Vaccines will become available by August 2021.
• US targets to distribute 200 million doses by end of 2021 & 300 million doses in first half of 2022.

COVAX facility

It is one of the three pillars of Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. It was launched in April 2020 by World Health Organization (WHO), France and European Commission against Covid-19 pandemic. COVAX seeks to ensure that people get access to Covid-19 vaccines equally once they are available. It has the target of providing 2 billion doses by end of 2021. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO.

ACT Accelerator

It is a framework for collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access of Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. It has three main pillars: Vaccines (COVAX), Therapeutics, Diagnostics.

Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC)

AMC is a mechanism within COVAX facility which ensure that 92 middle- and lower-income countries get equal access to Covid-19 vaccines as higher-income countries are getting. India is also a Gavi beneficiary and is receiving vaccines under COVAX facility.