KINGSTON, Jamaica, Canada, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Friday announced a renewed collaboration to increase access to coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines for populations that have lagged in immunization efforts across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
Canada will provide an additional CAD$45 million (One Canadian dollar= 0.74 cents) to PAHO to support COVID-19 response efforts. This financial support adds to a prior contribution of CAD$50 million made in May 2021. Almost a third of the new funds will support national interventions in Colombia, Haiti, and Jamaica.
The new funding announcement was made at an event here as part of the launch of Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE), which aims to support countries in vaccine delivery and distribution, including efforts to increase confidence in vaccination and boost the regional production of vaccines.
“The pandemic is not over. Last month, the Region of the Americas reported more than 3.6 million new COVID-19 cases and 18,000 new deaths, a surge of 42 and 28 percent of cases and deaths, respectively,” said Ciro Ugarte, PAHO’s director of Health Emergencies.
“I commend the government of Canada for its continued support to PAHO and the countries in the region in facing the COVID-19 pandemic, building upon our joint efforts to achieve optimal health and contribute to the wellbeing of all the peoples of the Americas”, Ugarte added.
PAHO said that while an estimated 70 percent of the region’s populations have completed a primary vaccination schedule, 203 million people have yet to receive a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Although we may wish we could turn the page on COVID-19 altogether, we know it is not that simple. There is still work to do to control the spread of the virus, move into recovery, and build stronger health systems,” said the visiting Canadian Minister of International Development, Harjit Sajjan.
“Canada’s partnership with PAHO will help improve access to COVID-19 vaccines, especially for people in vulnerable situations, including women and girls. [It] will also help improve vaccine surveillance and support health workers,” Sajjan added.
With the additional funds, PAHO said it would support member states in the LAC to strengthen health systems and immunization programs and incorporate COVID-19 vaccination into regular vaccination schedules.
It said the collaboration would also support implementing information systems and digital platforms for COVID-19 vaccine surveillance, research initiatives to build evidence on COVID-19 vaccine perception and acceptance, and encourage vaccination through targeted outreach and community engagement.
With Canada’s support, since 2021, PAHO has guided health authorities in developing and rolling out COVID-19 vaccine campaigns, ensuring that populations in situations of vulnerability are adequately reflected and prioritized in 28 Member States.
PAHO and Canada have also supported 22 countries in strengthening their cold chain capacity to manage and distribute COVID-19 vaccines safely. This long-term investment will improve regular immunization programs and maintain health systems altogether.
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