By: Ollus Ndomu
The African Union chairman who is also South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has announced that the organization has started distributing the 400 million Covid vaccines to its member states.
The first monthly shipments of vaccines to several countries will start next week. The AU aims to distribute 25 million jabs a month by next year.
In early March this year, AU member countries agreed to put their buying together to source vaccines for the continent.
President Ramaphosa has hailed member countries adding that the move will give the Africa an impetus:
“This is a momentous step forward in Africa’s efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of its people,” President Ramaphosa said.
“This will provide impetus to the fight against Covid-19 across the continent and will lay the basis for Africa’s social and economic recovery.”
The 400 million Johnson & Johnson vaccines is enough to inoculate a third of the Africa’s population.
The continent has set a goal to vaccinate 60% of its population by next year.
