GENEVA, 6 July (EFE). – Spain’s commitment to donate 22.5 million vaccines against Covid-19 to the Covax consortium could begin in late July, when 50% of the target population in Spain is vaccinated, according to Christina Gallach, secretary for foreign affairs of the state.
Gallach, who will meet with representatives of various UN agencies in Geneva on Tuesday and tomorrow, will convey this commitment to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom.
“It could probably happen before the end of July. We will continue to await data from the Ministry of Health so that we can execute these donations,” said the secretary of state.
Spain, one of the countries with the fastest pace of vaccination in recent weeks, already has more than 40% of the target population fully vaccinated.
Gallach explained that, of the donated vaccines, 7.5 million doses will go to Latin America, in line with a commitment announced in April by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and the remainder will go to destinations the WHO considers a priority, but Spain could also suggest. is something.
“In the most difficult moments of the pandemic, we received support from those who had medical supplies, and now it seems necessary to contribute to mitigating the needs of other countries,” he emphasized.
The vaccines will be distributed through the Covax consortium created by WHO and the GAVI Alliance to achieve equitable distribution of doses worldwide. So far, the facility has distributed more than 88 million vaccines to 131 countries, mostly low and middle income.
Gallach said the meeting with Tedros will also address the WHO pandemic treaty to better prepare the world for future health crises.
“We want to contribute to the WHO reform, which we have been very supportive of, and we understand that in this critical time, at least in our region, in the final or near-final stage of the fight against Covid-19. In this, we have to reflect on new challenges”, he said.
