BY STAFF REPORTER
Since the world was able to develop COVID-19 vaccines and manufacturing the vaccines, various international organizations including WHO have been expressing concern the way developing countries benefit from COVID-19 vaccines to protecting the lives of their citizens their stimulating economic recovery.
Particularly taking in to account those countries’ weak health system, living standard, number of population plus other similar determinants that can aggravate the spread of the pandemic and its unparalleled impacts, the organizations stress the critical importance of making COVID-19 vaccines available for all fairly and equally.
In fact, owing to the fast spread of the pandemic and the devastating social and economic effects posed by the virus, a number of efforts are ongoing to ensure access to developing countries. To this effect, a number of global collaborations and initiatives have been made aiming to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world not to poorer nations leave behind.
As part of this effort, recently a batch of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines was donated by the Chinese Red Cross Society to its Ethiopian counterpart, The Ethiopian Red Cross Society.
The doses arrived at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in the presence of senior Ethiopian government officials, representatives of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, and members of the Chinese diplomatic community in Ethiopia and Society has received the vaccines from Chinese counterpart.
Speaking on the handing over ceremony, Dereje Duguma, Ethiopian State Minister of Health, said that a portion of the latest batch of vaccine doses will be used in Ethiopia’s conflict-affected Tigray State.
“We are very much thankful for the Red Cross to work with the government of China and the Red Cross of China to bring this donation to Ethiopia,” the State Minister said.
“Our foremost gratitude and thanks will go to the government and people of China for providing different support since the first few months of the pandemic,” he added.
Echoing the State Minister’s remarks, and commending the Chinese Red Cross Society for the much-needed support, Abera Tola, President of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, said that the Government of China has always been supporting greatly. He also vowed to further strengthen the partnership among the two humanitarian organizations.
“The Ethiopian Red Cross will fulfill its assignment and obligation for delivering this vaccine to the neediest people through the Ethiopian Ministry of Health,” Tola remarked.
“On behalf of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, again and again, I would like to say thank you very much. I hope it will not be the last, but to continue in the future too,” he added.
Zhao Zhiyuan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, stressed that as a comprehensive strategic cooperative partner of Ethiopia, China will continue its capacity to Ethiopia’s anti-pandemic efforts, and will play an active role as Ethiopia is striving to boost the economy and improve the lives of its people.
“The pandemic did not stand in the way of China-Ethiopia relations, instead it has brought us even closer together,” the Ambassador said.
According to Zhao, China has donated and is donating vaccines to 88 developing countries in urgent need, and has provided support under COVAX for emergency use of vaccines in developing countries.
“Let us continue to work together to put COVID-19 under control, and jointly contribute to the building of a healthy community for all,” Zhao said.
In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine support, China has been helping Ethiopia in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since its outbreak in terms of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), testing kits as well as sending medical practitioners, as well as training and experience sharing.
China donated several batches of medical supplies to Ethiopia last year, and a Chinese team of medical experts has been sent to Ethiopia to support its fight against the pandemic.
Following the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s solemn pledge to make COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and improve vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries in April 2020, China has donated and is donating vaccines to 88 countries in urgent need, and has provided support under COVAX for emergency use of vaccines in many developing countries including Ethiopia and other African countries.
Up until now, China has donated a total of 500,000 doses of vaccines to Ethiopia through bilateral channel.
According to figures from the Chinese Embassy to Ethiopia, China has so far donated a total of 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Ethiopia. The East African country had received the first batch of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines that was donated by the Chinese government back in March.
According to the latest report from CNN, at least 212 countries and territories have administered more than 2 billion doses of a Covid-19 vaccine; barely a year after the first Covid-19 case was reported in China. Several different vaccines have been developed at record speed, in large part due to years of research on related viruses and billions of dollars in investment.
As of Tuesday June 23, 2021, Ethiopia has vaccinated 1.982,320 million people; which makes the country the second African country in vaccinating its citizens next to Nigerian, it was learnt.
The arrival ceremony was attended by Dr. Dereje Dhuguma, State Minister of Health of Ethiopia, ZHAO Zhiyuan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Abera Tola, President of the ERCS, Getachew Ta’a, Secretary General of ERCS.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD JUNE 24/2021
