Guyana’s Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony says it is worrying that the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) has shaved off 75% of the promised first tranche of vaccines to Guyana. He expressed his worry during a press conference this afternoon.
The health official said that COVAX – a global initiative aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of vaccines – had initially promised doses for 20% of Guyana’s population, with the first tranche being 108,000 doses. However, that number was reduced to 30,000 with a promise that the jabs would be delivered soon. Dr Anthony said that he received a letter today from the entity that Guyana can expect some 24,000 doses in three weeks.
“They have not only done this to Guyana, but they have also done this to some of the other Caribbean countries, where they’ve constantly reduced the amount of the allocation…That’s worrying for us, because we were expecting, and we were planning to utilize those doses to get to certain segments of the population. Now that is reduced, we now have to look for alternative arrangements,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, as the country awaits COVAX’s first allotment, Guyana will be receiving 200,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V, from next week, in tranches of 50,000.
