Israel To Donate One Million Vaccine Doses To African Countries

NEW DELHI: Israel will donate one million AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine doses to African countries through the international COVAX vaccine distribution mechanism. The decision was taken after a meeting that involved the foreign and the health minister of Israel along with the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

Israel is trying to strengthen its relations with the countries in the African continent, including its return to observer status in the Organisation for African Union.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Yair Lapid tweeted, “In the coming weeks, Israel will send 1 million AstraZeneca vaccines to African countries through COVAX, the international mechanism for the equitable distribution of vaccines. I’m happy that Israel can contribute and be a partner in eradicating this pandemic from the world.”

ALSO READ & WATCH: Covaxin 70.8 % Effective Against All Variants, 77.8 % Against Symptomatic: Journal On Phase 3 Trial

COVAX is a global vaccine distribution mechanism based out of Geneva, it works for the procurement and equitable distribution of COVID vaccines. It also aims to make COVID-19 vaccines accessible for all the countries, especially developing countries. Several countries have participated and donated vaccine doses. COVAX then distributes these doses to needy countries and populations.

Israel will donate 1 million doses that it had already purchased from AstraZeneca. These doses will now reach African countries that need them more to bring the rising number of COVID infections under control.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Israel supplied several countries with medical equipment to cope with the spread of the virus. Last May, Israel sent a large shipment of medical equipment including oxygen generators and respirators to India to fight the surging number of cases during the second wave.

ALSO READ & WATCH: We’re Producing 4-5 Cr Covaxin Doses Per Month, Plan To Ramp Up By 1.5 Cr: Bharat Biotech MD