Over a hundred countries have received COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility. But Bhutan is yet to receive it. The World Health Organisation (WHO) country office is still waiting for the Royal Government of Bhutan to sign a document to get the vaccines. The WHO started its first-quarter distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in February.
COVAX indemnification agreement is a document that needs to be signed between the COVAX member countries and the manufacturer. As per the WHO, the document is about dealing with liability or the responsibility for adverse consequences of administering the vaccines.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said the document was submitted to the cabinet for review.
“We do understand the concern of the ministry of health or the government as a whole on one of the clauses of the indemnity and liability document. We also understand that the particular clause in the agreement is being reviewed very seriously by the government. The consequence is that the COVAX facility is still waiting for the government to sign the document,” said Dr Rui Paulo de Jesus, the WHO Representative in Bhutan.
Bhutan is expected to receive nearly 6,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and over 40,000 doses of the Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine in the first quarter distribution from the COVAX facility.
The COVAX Facility is the global pooled procurement mechanism for COVID-19 vaccines through which COVAX will ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines.
Kinley Dem
