Ghana expects first delivery of AstraZeneca vaccine shots

Developing countries, such as Ghana, are competing with richer nations for supplies as they scramble to source vaccines and launch inoculation campaigns. "On the estimated cost, we are looking at...for every person getting two shots, that would cost nearly $3 per person fully vaccinated for the two doses," Kwame Amponsa-Achiano of the Ghana Health Services told a news conference.

Ghana is expecting a first delivery of just over 350,000 AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine shots by the end of next week, a plan presented by health officials on Friday showed.

The country will spend around $3 for every two shots of vaccine and inoculate around 20 million people against the virus, according to the plan. Developing countries, such as Ghana, are competing with richer nations for supplies as they scramble to source vaccines and launch inoculation campaigns.

"On the estimated cost, we are looking at...for every person getting two shots, that would cost nearly $3 per person fully vaccinated for the two doses," Kwame Amponsa-Achiano of the Ghana Health Services told a news conference. Achiano said Ghana will get some vaccines from the World Health Organization-backed COVAX scheme that would cover around 20 percent of its total population of over 30 million people.

The COVAX programme, which aims to secure vaccines for developing nations, is co-led by the GAVI, the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the United Nations Children's Fund. Achiano said Ghana has identified other potential sources of vaccines through bilateral and multilateral deals, including the African Union, the African medicines supply platform, the Tony Blair Foundation, and Ghana Private Sector Fund.

He did not specify how many doses Ghana will get from each supply channel.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)