How much vaccine doses is the U.S sending to Nigeria?
After over 6 million doses sent to Africa within the last two weeks, the United States is organising another 10 million Covid-19 doses delivery to the continent.
Last week’s consignment had gone to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Gambia, Lesotho, Niger, Tunisia, and Zambia.
However, the newest shipment of vaccine doses from the U.S will go to Nigeria and South Africa.
South Africa will receive 5.6 million Pfizer doses and Nigeria, four million Moderna doses.
Covax is looking to deliver at least 500 million vaccines to Africa by the end of 2021. Its collaboration with the African Union has seen millions of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine doses delivered to Africa from the United States.
- What is COVAX – Countries pledging COVID-19 vaccines
- Making COVID-19 vaccines in Africa and access is key to recovery – Adesina
- COVID-19 blood clot vs AstraZeneca vaccine?
Covid-19 vaccine doses and donations from the U.S, others to Africa
Africa is facing a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The continent has seen over a 20 per cent rise in cases in at least 20 African countries in the last weeks, the W.H.O. said.
More so, the Delta variant has been reported in 26 countries in Africa.
At least 77 per cent of all the vaccine doses received in Africa have been administered. The percentage might seem great, however, it was just enough to fully vaccinate only about 65 million (1.46% of population) of the 1.3 billion people on the continent, the Africa CDC said.
Africa is consequently falling behind on Covid vaccination, prompting donations from the United States.
The vaccine deliveries align with President Biden’s pledge in June to distribute 80 million doses globally. About 25 million doses from the number are expected to arrive in 49 African countries.
Africa will most likely miss the goal of vaccinating 20 per cent of the population by the end of 2022.
The W.H.O. and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are organising additional vaccine deliveries from Europe and China.
In the next weeks, Tanzania and Uganda will likely receive Sinovac doses pledged by China.