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Cabo Verde

COVID-19 vaccines sent by COVAX arrive in Cabo Verde

Cidade da Praia, March 12, 2021 - Cape Verde received on Friday, 12, its first batch of the Covid19 vaccine, sent through the COVAX Initiative, the process of which results from a partnership between the Government of Cape Verde, CEPI (Coalition for Innovation in Epidemic Preparation), GAVI (Global Vaccine Alliance), UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) and WHO (World Health Organization).

This is a historic step towards the realization of our common goal of ensuring the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, which is already considered the largest vaccine acquisition and supply operation in the history of mankind. This delivery is part of a first phase of arrivals of approximately 113,000 initial doses.

On March 8, 2021, COVAX, after submitting required regulatory documentation to Cabo Verde, sent 24,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, licensed and manufactured by the Serum Institute (PVT) Limited from Maharashtra, India, through the UNICEF Supply Division to Cidade da Praia , with the shipment arriving at Nelson Mandela International Airport this morning, March 12, 2021.

This first batch of 24,000 doses, which is included in a larger batch of 108,000 doses for Cape Verde expected to arrive in the country by May 2021, will allow the country to start the vaccination campaign against COVID 19, which should be targeted at the target groups identified as priorities.

To vaccinate all of these groups, the equivalent of 20% of the population (111,372 people) - a criterion required by COVAX to guarantee equity between countries - Cabo Verde also plans to receive, within the scope of the COVAX Platform, 267,293 thousand doses of vaccines against COVID-19 .

For the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, Ulisses Correia e Silva, the arrival of the vaccine renews the hope of the Cape Verdean nation

“The arrival of the first vaccines is a time of renewed hope for the Cape Verdean nation. It is the result of a great effort to mobilize the Government, with commitment and a sense of responsibility, in collaboration with international development partners. A word of great appreciation to our Development Partners who have been at the forefront collaborating with Cape Verde, such as COVAX, the United Nations System, the World Bank, among other bilateral and multilateral Partners”, said Ulisses Correia and Silva.

For UNICEF Representative in Cape Verde, Steven Ursino, “This is a historic and crucial moment for the country, the culmination of several efforts led by the Government of Cape Verde to stop and prevent the spread of the pandemic and save lives. The more people are vaccinated, the faster the gradual return to normal will be. We salute the Government of Cape Verde, in particular the Ministry of Health, for the commitment and all the partners that support the COVAX Facility in its mission to deliver safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 to all countries and in a quick and equitable manner. UNICEF reiterates its commitment to support the vaccination campaign and contain the spread of the virus, in close cooperation with all partners”.

COVAX is co-led by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF as well as the World Bank, civil society organisations, manufacturers, and others. COVAX is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.

COVAX has built a diverse portfolio of vaccines suitable for a range of settings and populations, and is on track to meet its goal of delivering at least 2 billion doses of vaccine to participating countries around the globe in 2021, including at least 1.3 billion donor-funded doses to the 92 lower-income COVAX Facility participants supported by the Gavi COVAX AMC.

UNICEF Cabo Verde

Natacha Magalhães

Communication Analyst

(+238) 2609600/516 42 34

Email: natacha.magalhaes@cv.jo.un.org