EU Gives UNICEF $113Mln For COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns In Africa

The European Union allocated on Wednesday a new grant of 100 million euros ($113 million) to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to support COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in 12 African countries

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2021) The European Union allocated on Wednesday a new grant of 100 million Euros ($113 million) to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to support COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in 12 African countries.

"EU is providing a total of 100 million in humanitarian assistance to support the rollout of vaccination campaigns in Africa, in cooperation with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention," Paraskevi Michou, director general for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection in the European Commission, was quoted as saying in a UNICEF release.

The 18-month program aims to ensure that vaccination covers even the most vulnerable African populations. The assistance will be provided through supporting delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, increasing health care capacity, training for medical staff and strengthening logistics.

African countries scheduled to receive the assistance include Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

So far, just about 7% of the African population has been fully vaccinated. On Monday, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation issued a report saying that Africa accounts for just 2.9% of the 7.6 billion vaccines that have been administered globally. The organization warned that the already low vaccination rate might be far worse as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Africa's ability to register vaccinations accurately.