Ukraine to be among first countries receiving COVID-19 vaccines via COVAX: WHO

KIEV - Ukraine will be included primarily in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines as part of the global COVAX initiative, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in his online speech at the opening of the all-Ukrainian forum "Ukraine 30. Coronavirus: Challenges and Answers" in Kiev on Monday.

"Last week, COVAX published its forecast for the distribution of vaccines among the countries participating in this initiative, and together with UNICEF and other organizations, we will work to distribute these vaccines as soon as possible. And Ukraine is one of the countries that will be included in the first deployment wave of the COVAX initiative to vaccinate health workers, seniors, those who are directly in touch with COVID-19 patients," the WHO head said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who also took part in the forum, said that Ukraine has already reached agreements on the supply of vaccines with Sinovac Biotech, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Novavax companies.

The country's Ministry of Health has approved a plan for vaccinating the population against COVID-19, under which 50 percent of the population, or 20 million people, will receive the vaccination in 2021-2022.

The approved plan sets four stages of vaccination, giving preference to the most vulnerable groups of citizens, the ministry said earlier.

At least 8 million doses will be donated to Ukraine as a member of the COVAX initiative. Meanwhile, the country will purchase the rest of the vaccines from manufacturers.

A total of 1,246,990 COVID-19 cases, with 23,644 deaths, have been registered in Ukraine as of Monday, while 1,075,743 patients have recovered, according to the ministry.