Albania Part Of COVAX, Manastirliu: Committed To Having The Safe Anti-Covid Vaccine
Nga OraNews Përditësimi i fundit 22 Shtator 2020, 15:55
While the situation with the coronavirus continues to beserious in our country, with the increasing cases of infection that occur everyday, the Albanian Government has taken the decision to commit financiallythrough the COVAX mechanism, to have the safe anti-Covid vaccine.
In a meeting organized with experts of the immunizationcommittee at the Institute of Public Health, the Minister of Health and SocialProtection, Ogerta Manastirliu, said that Albania will have the right to choosethe safest vaccine, financially engaging in an international mechanism , aswell as over 80 other countries around the world, including European Unioncountries.
"Based on your valid recommendations, the Council of Ministers has approved in its last meeting, the signing of the engagement agreement with the Gavi alliance, to provide a safe vaccine against COVID19, through the COVAX mechanism, to which 80 countries adhere, including European Union countries ", said Manastirliu.
During the meeting with the experts, the Minister ofHealth said that every step towards the selection of a safe vaccine will betaken very carefully.
"Of course we will be very careful, always in consultation with experts on the safe vaccine, when it is approved, to be sure of the effective vaccine. But the government is committed to ensuring access, whenever this vaccine comes out," said Manastirliu.
The Minister of Health and Social Protection left openother channels of communication and cooperation with European Union countries,to ensure timely vaccination.
"It is important the cooperation already launched with the COVAX instrument, the Gavi alliance, but at the same time I want to say that we continue to have communications with various European Union countries, who have expressed their commitment to be able to help them enable rapid purchase of the vaccine or access to the vaccine. Of course, we have all these communication channels open and we will examine the best possibility from the point of view of safety and efficiency of the vaccine, to guarantee the health of the population against COVID19 ", said Manastirliu.
The expert of the Immunization Committee, prof. EduartKakarriqi said:
"There are two, the defined purchase agreement and the optional purchase agreement, which we selected as the most valuable for our country. A number of vaccines are currently under development (about 200), but only 20 of which are in the advanced stages, most of which are part of the COVAX mechanism. We are fully ready, waiting, welcoming the vaccine against COVID19 within COVAX ", said prof. Kakarriqi.
Expressing the necessity of the vaccination process,given the duration of the virus, the impact of any age and low immunity,especially of persons who have passed the disease with mild symptoms, themember of the Immunization Committee, prof. Gjerogjina Kuli said thatparticipation in COVAX is a guarantee for Albania's access to safe vaccine,like developed countries.
"I consider as very important Albania's participation in COVAX as this guarantees our access, guarantees us equality even with another country that is even more economically developed and that has more opportunities to get a direct access to the provision of anti-COVID vaccine, but on the other hand also gives us the guarantee for the safety of the vaccine", said prof. Kuli.
Even the head of the Infectious Diseases Service, partof the Immunization Committee, prof. Najada Çomo praised this development.
"We have been meeting for a long time regarding what is being discussed hour after hour about the production of the vaccine and we have taken the first step thanks to the Albanian government, to take measures to be ready if the vaccine is officially produced, we have the opportunity to receive and apply this vaccine", said prof. Como.
The COVAX Facility is an international mechanism(consisting of Gavi, CEPI and WHO) that coordinates the resources and demandfor the COVID-19 vaccine with the production capacity of this vaccine.
Initially, all countries will be supplied withsufficient doses to cover 20% of the population.
This will be followed by the supply of seats with theremaining required doses (if more than 20%).
Albania is officially part of this mechanism, where 80countries of the world participate, while several communication channels withthe countries of the European Union are left open.
