African Union to buy up to 110 million Moderna COVID-19 vaccines

Washington, Oct. 26 (BUS) – The African Union plans to purchase up to 110 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna Inc in an arrangement brokered in part by the White House, which will delay delivery of some of the intended doses. The United States should facilitate the deal, officials said.

Reuters reported that the doses of the African Union will be delivered over the coming months, as it will reach 15 million before the end of 2021, 35 million in the first quarter of next year and up to 60 million in the second quarter.

“This is important because it allows us to immediately increase the number of available vaccines,” Strive Masiywa, the African Union’s anti-coronavirus envoy, said in an email. “We urge other vaccine-producing countries to follow (the US government) and grant us equal access to purchase this and other vaccines.”

Masiyiwa said the Moderna purchase marked the first time the 55-member African Union had obtained vaccines that were not entirely produced in Africa.

New shipments of the vaccine are far below what Africa needs to vaccinate 1.3 billion people, who have far less access to life-saving vaccines than the more prosperous regions of the world. Acquiring Moderna vaccines adds diversity to Ajman University’s vaccine supply with different storage requirements.

Natalie Killian, the White House’s deputy coordinator for COVID-19 response, said the Biden administration is delaying delivery of 33 million doses it had purchased from Moderna to give the African Union its “place in the line” to make a purchase.

“We are grateful to have helped negotiate this encouraging step forward between Moderna and the African Union that will significantly expand access to vaccines on the continent in the near term,” Quillian said.

The United States, which has seen more than 700,000 people die from COVID-19, is full of vaccines. Quillian said Moderna’s delayed deliveries will have no impact on efforts to provide booster shots to Americans who have already been vaccinated.

Moderna said it is working to make it possible to fill doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in Africa by 2023 and has plans to build a plant on the continent.

“This is the first step in our long-standing partnership with the African Union,” Stephane Bancel, our CEO, said in a statement, referring to a Memorandum of Understanding to offset up to 110 million doses to the African Union.

Last month, the African Union accused manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines of denying African countries a fair opportunity to purchase vaccines and urged manufacturing nations, notably India, to lift export restrictions on vaccines and their components.

HF