Director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has congratulated COVAX on the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.
The former finance minister of Nigeria said this in a message posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
“Great news: Arrival of the first batch of vaccines in Abuja, Nigeria. Congratulations COVAX,” she tweeted.
Nigeria on Tuesday received 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India(SII) and shipped via the COVAX Facility.
A statement by the United Nations (UN) system in Nigeria said the arrival marked a historic step towards the goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, in what would be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history.
It also said the delivery was part of a first wave of arrivals in Nigeria that would continue in the coming days and weeks.
COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
It is led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF, the World Bank, civil society organisations, manufacturers and others.
