WHO says 172 countries signed up to vaccines development programme

Addis Ababa, August 24, 2020 (FBC) – WHO announced that 172 countries have now signed up for a vaccine development programme that will ensure an equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The milestone was marked by the sending out of the terms and conditions of the programme on Sunday ahead of the deadline of August 31 for countries to express their intent on being involved.

So far, 70 per cent of the world’s population is covered through the list of countries that have signed up.

Highlighting the efforts of governments around the world to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, WHO Director Tedros Adhanom said more funding for the COVAX actaccelerator vaccines pillar was “urgently needed to move the portfolio forward.”

He said COVAX aimed to deliver 2 billion doses of a safe, viable vaccine by the end of 2021.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel. As I said last week, together we can do it,” he said.

The news comes as Russia became the first country in the world to license a coronavirus vaccine after President Vladimir Putin authorised it ahead of phase 3 trials two weeks ago.

Putin went as far as announcing his daughter had already been inoculated.