As the vaccinations against the COVID-19 disease continue across the globe, there is a need to ensure fair access to vaccines by all countries, especially the lessdeveloped and poor countries which often are also among the hardest hit by the pandemic.
Qatar has been at the forefront of the global efforts to ensure equitable access to vaccines. Speaking at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum, Qatar’s Assistant Foreign Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, reiterated the country’s commitment to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative, stressing that the disproportionate negative impact of the pandemic requires paying special attention to the most vulnerable segments, in order to help them stay resilient and recover.
The Assistant Foreign Minister outlined Qatar’s approach for collective global efforts for recovery from the pandemic, saying recovery from the pandemic cannot be achieved unless all segments of its society, particularly the most vulnerable, recover as well. The State of Qatar provided urgent medical aid to around 78 countries all over the world to help them respond to the pandemic, with total governmental and nongovernmental aid exceeding $88m.
The country also allocated $20m for the international alliance for vaccination, in addition to Qatar Fund for Development signing an agreement worth $10m with the World Health Organization to support its 13th work programme and accelerate the process of providing access to tools that will combat the pandemic in countries that are most in need.
Apart from the efforts at the international level, Qatar has also set an example of equality in access to healthcare and vaccines domestically. Being home to a large expatriate population, Qatar has provided quality healthcare to all, especially during the pandemic. It has provided all the services starting from COVID-19 tests to quarantine facilities and hospitalisation, if needed, to hundreds of thousands of people free of cost. Similarly, the country has rolled out a massive vaccination campaign, providing Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to all adult citizens and foreigners free of cost.
More than 1.13 million vaccine doses have already been administered, with the plans to vaccinate the entire eligible population in coming months. The Assistant Foreign Minister said the State of Qatar was proud to join UN campaign ‘Only Together’, out of the country’s belief in the importance of partnership, cooperation and guaranteeing quick and equitable access to vaccines all over the world, in addition to its commitment to supporting COVAX.
