US contribution to COVAX hits P97.2-B: Embassy

MANILA – The United States’ contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) has reached USD2 billion (about PHP97.2 billion), by far the largest, the US Embassy in Manila said Friday.

“The United States already has provided an initial PHP97.2 billion (USD2 billion), and the Philippines is among the first countries in the region to have received Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) vaccines through the COVAX facility,” it said.

The Embassy said Washington earmarked a total of USD4 billion or about PHP194.4 billion in contribution to the COVAX AMC.

US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law said the country would continue to support Manila in its vaccination rollout, including on mitigation efforts to help curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“The United States is proud to be the largest contributor to COVAX, and we welcome the successful arrival of the first tranche of AstraZeneca vaccines in the Philippines. As we fight the pandemic together, the United States will continue to support the Philippines’ vaccination and Covid-19 mitigation efforts,” he said.
READ: PH receives 1st batch of AstraZeneca vaccines through COVAX

The US contributions to COVAX, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), will support the purchase and delivery of safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations in 92 low- and middle-income countries.

The Philippines welcomed Thursday night the first delivery of the much-needed AstraZeneca vaccines through COVAX Facility.

Aside from Law, COVAX’s other donor countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway welcomed the vaccine arrival in Manila.