The African Union’s vaccine task team has reported that Russia has offered it 300 million doses of its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine which includes a financing package for countries desiring to secure the shots.
According to the Reuters news report, the Sputnik V vaccine would be available for a period of 12 months starting May 2021.
In the words of Dr. John Nkengasong, director of the AU’s disease control body said,
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“We are grateful to receive the Sputnik V vaccines from the Russian Federation and tremendously proud to be able to offer them … for our AU Member States.
“Bilateral and private sector partnerships such as these are critical in our efforts to bring the COVID-19 pandemic to an end.”
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What you should know
- It is to be noted that only a few countries in Africa have formally rolled out their vaccination programmes while several wealthier nations are already deep into their immunization campaigns.
- AU had previously said it had secured 270 million doses of vaccine from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson for delivery this year.
- But the vaccine team has stated that all the 270 million doses had been “taken up by the first allocation phase deadline”.