Health
THIS week, Sudan surpassed the 10 per cent COVID-19 vaccination milestone, a significant step towards protection of lives and curbing vaccine inequity.
The progress is evidence of continued and sustained efforts by the Sudan Government as well as stakeholders and partners to sustain COVID-19 vaccination across the country amidst competing health priorities and social-economic challenges.
COVAX is the major supplier of COVID-19 vaccines to Sudan has delivered over 11.2 million doses of vaccines as of 4th July.
The country’s vaccination efforts have been characterized by several strategies undertaken in partnership with stakeholders – including monthly weeklong campaigns for awareness as well as incorporating COVID-19 vaccination in routine immunisation campaigns.
Dr. Richard Mihigo, Director of COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery, Coordination and Integration at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which leads on procurement and delivery at scale for COVAX, comments on this milestone:
“Sudan has rolled out several approaches, since the start of Covid-19 vaccination, to increase vaccine demand and uptake across the country including a monthly weeklong campaigns. Sudan also incorporates Covid-19 vaccination in Routine Immunisation campaigns among other approaches.
With COVAX now having enough supply to help Sudan and other AMC countries achieve targets, and ensure populations are fully protected, it is important to seize the opportunity to achieve vaccine equity.
Through the COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership, COVAX and other partner initiatives are providing coordinated, tailored support to governments across the continent – focused on urgently overcoming delivery bottlenecks and rapidly turning vaccines into vaccinations.
We congratulate the country for the commitment and dedication and look forward to continue working together to protect people of the Sudan from COVID-19.”
Facts and Figures:
- In January 2022, 34 countries were below 10% coverage with two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, that number is now 14.
- Over 632 million doses have been delivered by COVAX to the African continent, supporting vaccination efforts in 46 countries.
- In total, COVAX has now shipped over 1.56 billion COVID-19 vaccines to 146 countries across the world. Nearly 90% of these have been fully funded doses delivered to lower-income countries supported by the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).
- Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has been supporting immunization in Africa since 2000. Read about the impact of our work in Africa here and our work in Sudan over two decades, here.
- For expert insights and original content and stories from around the world, visit Gavi’s online digital platform Vaccines Work.
KN
Tags: COVAX Covid-19 Richard Mihigo
