Ukraine will procure 12 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, enough to vaccinate 6 million people, starting in February 2021, the president’s office announced on Feb. 5.
Health Minister Maksym Stepanov told President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine has received confirmation of the deal.
This vaccine was developed by British pharmaceutical AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University and U.S. pharmaceutical Novavax, and produced under licensing agreements by Serum Institute in India.
U.K. company Crown Agents will be involved in the procurement. Ukraine has relied on Crown Agents to procure a wide range of medical goods since 2015.
“The sooner we get the vaccines, the faster we will overcome the pandemic in Ukraine,” Zelensky said, in a statement. “I know that the Cabinet of Ministers is working thoroughly to develop a website that will help Ukrainians register for vaccination easily and conveniently.”
“Like every Ukrainian, I am waiting for the beginning of the vaccination process,” he added. “Twelve million doses is a good signal from our partners, and this will be enough to ensure vaccination within the first few months after the start of delivery.”
In December, Stepanov pushed aside state company Medical Procurements of Ukraine, which was designed to buy medicine and medical supplies for the country. Instead, Stepanov said that Crown Agents would handle the purchase of vaccines.
Stepanov accused Medical Procurements of major procurement delays in 2020.
But the company’s work had been hindered by the health ministry. Stepanov and his predecessors had dragged their feet on finalizing the paperwork that Medical Procurements needed to do its job.
Ukraine will also receive free vaccines as part of the global COVAX initiative. The first 117,000 doses of U.S.-made Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will arrive in mid-February, according to Stepanov. Within half a year, COVAX will also provide Ukraine with 2.2 to 3.7 million doses.
In total, COVAX will provide Ukraine with 8 million doses.
A single person must receive two doses to be effectively vaccinated.
