An African Union-created task force working to secure COVID-19 vaccines says Russia has offered 300 million doses of the country’s Sputnik V vaccine.
The director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said in a statement Friday that the body is 'tremendously proud' to offer the doses to Africa’s 54 countries. The statement says the Sputnik V doses will be available in May.
The AU previously secured 270 million doses from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. As the African continent continues to wait for vaccine deliveries from the global COVAX initiative, the Africa CDC has encouraged the pursuit of doses from bilateral arrangements and other sources.
The African continent has barely seen large numbers of doses arrive. Health officials have spoken about growing tensions and inequality with richer countries that have stockpiled vaccines.
The goal is to vaccinate 60% of the African continent’s population as soon as possible to achieve herd immunity. Officials say that taking too long could mean COVID-19 becomes endemic in parts of the continent of 1.3 billion people.
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