Minister Brophy announces Irish Aid funding of €5m for COVID-19 vaccines for developing countries
News
19 January 2022Colm Brophy, T.D., Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, today announced Irish Aid funding of €5 million for the purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries.
Speaking today at a conference organised by COVAX, which ensures the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, Minister Brophy said:
“Vaccine inequity is both a moral issue and a public health threat. Ireland has consistently championed the need for a global response to this pandemic. We were one of the earliest partners of COVAX to support the largest and most rapid global vaccine rollout in history.
“Today, I am proud to announce an additional Irish contribution of €5 million to COVAX. This will bring our overall contribution to date to €13.5 million. Only through being flexible and timely in our funding will we get ahead of this virus in 2022, and get vaccines into arms in every country.”
In addition to Irish Aid funding to COVAX of €13.5 million so far in support of the purchase and distribution of vaccines in lower income countries, the Government has committed to donating up to five million vaccine doses through the mechanism. Ireland has donated vaccines through COVAX to Nigeria, Indonesia and Ghana, with an additional bilateral donation made to Uganda. Further vaccine donations will be made through COVAX over the coming weeks.
Ireland’s support for COVAX is part of Irish Aid’s investment of €200 million in supporting public health globally over the last two years, as part of its pandemic response with a further €100 million in Irish Aid funding for global public health projected for 2022.
ENDS
Press Office
19 January 2022
Notes to editors
- On 15 January 2021, a shipment of 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccines to Rwanda included the billionth dose supplied via the COVAX facility.
- While a significant proportion of world’s population remain unvaccinated and without full access to testing, tracking and treatment options, COVID-19 will remain a real threat to all lives and livelihoods.
- In response to the pandemic and over the past two years, Ireland has allocated over €200 million in financing for global health. This includes COVID-19 specific response measures, and support for ongoing work around strengthening health systems for the prevention and treatment of pre-existing conditions. As such, Ireland provides funding to global health entities including the Global Fund (The Global Fund for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria) and Gavi (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations).
- Ireland's response has also included support in the form of equipment donations to some countries, and close collaboration with partner countries in Africa as they navigate the response. This has included, for example, support for laboratory testing; protection of healthcare workers with PPE; infection prevention and control (IPC); disease surveillance; information sharing and community engagement; emergency medical equipment and oxygen supply; and the support to the national vaccination programme roll out.
- The pandemic has highlighted pre-existing and often severe weaknesses in health systems across the globe. Core to the Department of Foreign Affairs’ response based on experience from previous pandemics such as Ebola and HIV/AIDS has been a commitment to sustain support for essential health care services. Key to this is provision for pre-existing health issues such as HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria while working to respond to the pandemic. Ireland has also been consistent and clear in support of the global oversight and coordination role of the WHO throughout the pandemic.