Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Addis Ababa April 20/2021 (ENA) EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič will visit Africa CDC today, which also marks the start of the implementation of EU’s new humanitarian initiative in support of the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in Africa.
The 100 million Euros initiative is part of the European Commission efforts to ensure equitable and fair access to safe and effective vaccines to all, it was indicated.
By joining forces with Africa CDC and other international partners, the European Commission aims to support a fast and safe rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.
Following his meeting with the Head of Africa CDC, Dr. John Nkengasong, Commissioner Janez Lenarčič stressed that “this additional EU funding in support of the rollout of vaccination campaigns against the Coronavirus pandemic in Africa will help to ensure that no one is left behind, including people in hard-to-access humanitarian crisis settings.”
The commissioner expressed his wishes for closer cooperation with Africa CDC in the future and strengthening “our readiness and efficient preparedness to respond together to the challenges of tomorrow.”
The EU initiative, with a steering role of Africa CDC, will support two complementary dimensions of the vaccination campaigns in Africa with one track of indicative 25 million Euros in funding to support the rollout of the vaccination campaign in African countries.
This will include the support of capacity building of national health authorities and health care workers as well as the support to managing the information and coordination platform on vaccination, it was learned.
Moreover, it will also address critical logistical gaps, including equipment, while it seeks to reinforce national health systems resilience to address future epidemic outbreaks.
The second track of an indicative 65 million Euros in funding aims to support the rollout of vaccination campaigns in specific humanitarian settings, notably in conflict and hard-to-reach areas, implemented through needs-specific activities, in close cooperation with various EU humanitarian partners.
A further 10 million Euros is in reserve, to be allocated to any of two tracks as needed.
