COVAX delivers 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Montenegro

The first batch of 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Montenegro today, thanks to a procurement carried out by the Ministry of Health under the COVAX mechanism. This is the first delivery and additional quantities are expected in the coming period. All vaccines procured under the COVAX mechanism are approved by the WHO, as the leading organization of the United Nations system dealing with the issue of vaccine safety.

"I am very pleased to be able to inform the Montenegrin public today that 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX initiative have just arrived, which is the first batch of a total of 84,000 doses to arrive in Montenegro," said Minister of Health Jelena Borovinić Bojović.

She expressed special gratitude to the British Ambassador H.E. Karen Maddocks, the EU delegation and EU Ambassador to Montenegro Oana Cristina Popa, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and all others who, as she said, made an immeasurable contribution to the arrival of this vaccine in Montenegro.

This is just another proof of great solidarity and sincere friendship with all EU countries, which in this way have significantly contributed to the vaccination process in Montenegro. I appeal once again and ask all citizens to respond to the call for vaccination and not to forget that respecting epidemiological measures is the first and basic rule in preserving both personal health and the health of our citizens, said Minister Borovinić Bojović.

COVAX is the mechanism through which any country can access WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines in the fastest way. As part of the first delivery, COVAX will ship 237 million doses of Astra Zeneca/Oxford vaccines, approved by the WHO and the European Medicines Agency. The vaccines will be delivered to more than 130 countries, including Montenegro.

Head of the WHO Country Office in Montenegro, Dr. Mina Brajović, said that this shipment was another in a series of confirmations and reminders that the way to fight the pandemic is the way of cooperation, solidarity and science.

"In recent months, the WHO has provided support to Montenegro, with partners, to prepare for an important step - from vaccine to vaccination. The WHO welcomes the efforts of the Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Health, headed by Dr. Borovinić Bojović, in terms of careful planning and comprehensive preparations. As a strategic partner, the WHO had the privilege of providing support in this important process, including the training of health workers and the development of a National Vaccination Plan," Dr. Brajović pointed out. She emphasised that more than 20 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered in Europe and that the WHO and the European Medicines Agency have confirmed that the vaccine is safe, effective and prevents COVID-19, severe illness and death.

COVAX has hired UNICEF to transport all vaccines against COVID-19 worldwide, as UNICEF is the largest vaccine distributor in the world, delivering more than two billion doses of vaccine each year for routine immunisation worldwide.

"Thanks to science, we now have two free ways to fight the pandemic and return to normal life. One is respecting the measures and the other is vaccination. Both approaches will reduce the infection rate and enable the high risk groups of the population to be safe, as well as children and young people in Montenegro to safely attend kindergartens, schools and extracurricular activities and spend time with their peers again," said UNICEF Representative to Montenegro Juan Santander.

Team Europe, including the EU, its member states and the European Investment Bank, has donated over EUR 2.2 billion to COVAX, including EUR 1 billion from the EU budget. This financial support has accelerated the delivery of vaccines to COVAX member states, including Montenegro.

"I am very glad that Montenegro received COVAX vaccines today, which will help start mass vaccination as soon as possible. The EU is one of the biggest contributors to this global initiative and we are happy to see it is working and delivering effective and safe vaccines. Immunisation against the virus is the best way to stop this pandemic and to protect Montenegrin citizens, especially the vulnerable ones. We are all in this unprecedented health crisis together and no one is safe until everyone is safe," said EU Ambassador to Montenegro Oana Cristina Popa.

British Ambassador to Montenegro Karen Maddocks said that she was very proud to be here to receive this consignment of vaccines developed by the University of Oxford, the world's best university and AstraZeneca.

"This is the backbone of the global COVAX initiative for global vaccine distribution. The British government has donated over half a billion pounds to COVAX, making us one of the largest donors. Our priority is to make vaccines as accessible as possible. Vaccines are the way out of this pandemic," Ambassador Maddocks emphasised. She pointed out that the AstraZeneca vaccine is already saving lives in the United Kingdom and said she was glad to be part of the vaccination programme here.

"I congratulate the Government of Montenegro and the United Nations on the supply of these vaccines, I am aware of the efforts they made to supply them," said Ambassador Maddocks.

UN Resident Coordinator to Montenegro Peter Lundberg said that vaccines are our ticket to a return to normal life and socio-economic recovery.

"Only together can we ensure that vaccines reach everyone, and along the way, the efforts of all actors are critical. That is why I want to thank UNICEF and the WHO for their continuous support to the state in this field, but also to welcome the strong commitment of the Government of Montenegro to prioritize vaccination and provide the vaccine to all people in Montenegro," Lundberg pointed out.

The COVAX mechanism is a global partnership aimed at providing everyone with equal access to COVID-19 vaccines. It is run by GAVI - the global vaccine alliance, WHO and CEPI, while UNICEF is in charge of transporting vaccines around the world. The United States contributes significantly to this partnership, as the largest donor to the COVAX mechanism globally. When it comes to Montenegro, the generous support of the EU Delegation enables the Government of Montenegro and partners to be ready for an efficient vaccination process and to strengthen the public health system in Montenegro during a pandemic.