The Scottish Government announced a grant of £1.5million to UNICEF on 15th February to support the work being done providing equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, as well as to strengthen healthcare systems through the provision of essential supplies, in Rwanda, Zambia and Malawi. This is the second grant in the last two years that the Scottish Government has given UNICEF to assist with their support of the COVID-19 response in Scotland’s partner countries in Africa.
Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development Neil Gray said:
“The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest global challenges. It is a disease that does not recognise nations or borders, and we are well aware of the inequity in the access to COVID-19 vaccines across the world.
This partnership with UNICEF will allow us to support our partner country governments in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda in their COVID-19 response, and will go some way to addressing vaccine inequity in Africa.
By working together on this shared challenge, and helping to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments in our partner countries, this funding also underlines this government’s commitment to international solidarity and to fulfilling its role as a responsible and compassionate global citizen.”
Antoinette Eleonore Ba, UNICEF Health Specialist for Eastern and Southern Africa, said:
“Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa have made great strides in tackling the pandemic, but there is still much more work to be done to support the operational planning and logistics of COVID-19 vaccine roll outs.
Scottish Government funding will provide valuable support for UNICEF’s response in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia, including making sure communities have the information they need to access vaccines, providing supplies such as syringes for administering the vaccines and increasing cold chain capacity and oxygen provision – all key interventions that will strengthen health systems in the three countries to both help save lives now and in the future.”