GENEVA (AP) – The UN-backed program to bring vaccines to the world’s most deprived people again lowered its target of sending doses this year, projecting that around 1.4 billion will be available by the end of 2021.
The Gavi vaccine alliance reported that its COVAX program has faced several setbacks, including export restrictions decided by India, which is a key producer of vaccines, as well as regulatory hurdles for some vaccine candidates and manufacturing problems elsewhere. .
Still, Gavi said COVAX deliveries are increasing significantly and it expects another 1.1 billion doses to be available, in addition to the 330 million it has already delivered. Most of the 1.4 billion doses go to the poorest developing countries.
Gavi had originally projected that 2 billion doses could be shipped via COVAX this year, but in July it lowered its projection to around 1.8 billion.
Rich countries and others with high vaccine production capacity, such as Russia and China, have already sent billions of doses to their populations, and the World Health Organization has repeatedly insisted that poor countries and workers in the Health in some places need better access to them to help stop the emergence of new variants.
A major pharmaceutical industry association forecast 12 billion doses this year. However, WHO officials say many are not being sent where they are most needed.
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