UNICEF to Lead Global Initiative to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines

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The U.N. children’s agency said Thursday it would lead the world's largest and fastest procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines from dozens of makers in the next two years so that no country lacks access.

UNICEF and the World Health Organization co-lead a COVID-19 vaccine allocation plan known as COVAX.

Seventy-six wealthy nations are part of the COVAX plan, which aims to buy and provide equitable access worldwide to the shots for 92 low- and lower-middle-income countries, according to a UNICEF statement.

“This is an all-hands on deck partnership between governments, manufacturers and multilateral partners to continue the high-stakes fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director, said in a statement. “In our collective pursuit of a vaccine, UNICEF is leveraging its unique strengths in vaccine supply to make sure that all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to the initial doses when they are available.”

In August, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned of possible vaccine hoarding by wealthier nations, saying such actions would worsen the effects of the pandemic.

He pushed for the creation of the COVAX Global Vaccines Facility as way to share COVID-19 vaccines with developing countries. More than 170 countries have agreed to take part.