GENEVA/New York/Oslo: The COVAX initiative, a collaborative effort led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, Unicef, and the World Health Organization (WHO), aimed at ensuring equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines worldwide, is set to conclude its operations on December 31st.
The initiative has successfully distributed nearly 2 billion vaccine doses and safe injection devices to 146 countries.
The COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) programme, designed to support low- and lower-middle-income nations, has played a crucial role in preventing an estimated 2.7 million deaths. Participants in the AMC programme received free vaccine doses and nearly $2 billion in support for vaccination campaigns.
While COVAX did not completely eliminate global vaccine inequity, it significantly contributed to alleviating Covid-19 suffering in low-income countries. COVAX supplied 74pc of all Covid-19 vaccine doses to low-income countries during the pandemic and increased primary series coverage in eligible economies to 57pc, compared to the global average of 67pc. Notably, two-dose coverage for healthcare workers in lower-income economies reached 84pc.
The 92 lower-income economies eligible for the Gavi COVAX AMC programme will still have the option to receive Covid-19 vaccine doses and delivery support through Gavi's regular programmes.
As of now, 58 lower-income economies have requested a total of 83 million doses for 2024, with a focus on safeguarding priority groups such as healthcare workers, community workers, and older adults.
As COVAX's advance purchase supply agreements conclude or are terminated by the end of 2023, a modest supply will continue into the first half of 2024 to support the new Covid-19 routine immunisation programme.
The COVAX AMC funds will be available in the Pandemic Vaccine Pool, allowing for reinvestment in initiatives such as the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), the First Response Fund for future pandemic responses, and "The Big Catch-up" effort to address gaps in immunization caused by the pandemic.
COVAX's legacy will be remembered as a historic effort that saved millions of lives, underscoring the need to improve global responses in future health crises.