Ghana becomes first country to get free Covid shots through COVAX scheme

The COVAX initiative is a shot-sharing scheme behind the inoculation drive in poorer countries

Ghana became the first country on Wednesday to receive a batch of free anti-coronavirus vaccine doses through the COVAX initiative, a shot-sharing scheme behind the inoculation drive in poorer countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which leads COVAX together with Gavi the Vaccine Alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said the shipment of 600,000 AstraZeneca doses was the first step in immunizing the West African nation of 30 million.

"This is a momentous occasion, as the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines into Ghana is critical in bringing the pandemic to an end... We thank all partners that are supporting the COVAX Facility to deliver safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to all countries quickly and fairly," a WHO statement read.

The shipment, WHO said, is part of the first wave of vaccine deliveries headed to several low- and middle-income countries. COVAX aims to ship close to 2 billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021, in an unprecedented global effort to guarantee access to vaccines for all.