A CAD$ 30million project in partnership with Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE) is set to significantly bolster targeted, equitable delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk communities across Africa. Through World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Canada will provide funding over two years to support the scale-up of vaccine delivery, specifically addressing people in hard-to-reach areas, while also strengthening health systems in the African region.
The project will prioritize efforts in seven CanGIVE countries: Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania, with flexibility to respond to emerging needs in the region in countries such as Cameroon, Malawi and The Gambia. The funding is part of Canada’s signature CanGIVE initiative aimed at supporting vaccine delivery and reinforcing health systems in 12 countries, most of which are in Africa.
Additional allocations announced in January brought the total value of the programme to CAD$ 275 million (US$ 205 million). “Canada is proud to partner with the World Health Organization to advance COVID-19 vaccination efforts and build more resilient health systems in the African region. The opportunity before us now is to work together to apply what we have learned from the past three years so that we are, collectively, better prepared to face the health crises of the future,” stated Christopher Thornley, High Commissioner for Canada to the Republic of Kenya.