Yemen awaits first vaccines by March through COVAX, Saudi could pay for more
February 5, 2021, 11:08 am

Yemen awaits first vaccines by March through COVAX, Saudi could pay for more

Yemeni medical workers wearing masks and protective gear talk oto patients at hospital in Aden, Yemen. (File photo: AP )

Yemen expects a first batch of 2.3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by March through the COVAX vaccine-sharing facility, and Saudi Arabia could separately finance shots for around 50 percent of the population, agencies involved have said.Six years of war in Yemen have created what the United Nations describes as the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. What little remains of its health system relies on foreign aid.“The government of Yemen has applied to the COVAX initiative to cover the initial needs of 23 percent of the population of Yemen, about 14 million doses,” Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF’s representative in Yemen told Reuters.

“A first allocation of 2.3 million doses has been confirmed and should be available by end-February, beginning of March, depending on the suppliers’ availability of vaccines.”

COVAX is co-led by the GAVI alliance, which secures vaccines for poor countries, the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Yemen will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX as this can be used in the existing cold chain infrastructure, Duamelle said.

The aim is to vaccinate 70 percent of Yemen’s population. The health ministry for Yemen’s internationally recognized government on Friday said it had applied to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) for it to finance vaccines for 50 percent of the population.

KSRelief could not immediately be reached for comment.

Saudi’s finance minister last month said his country was talking to manufacturers to provide COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries including Yemen.

Yemen is divided between the government temporarily based in the south and the Houthi movement that ousted it from power in the capital, Sanaa, in the north in late 2014.

The government of Yemen intends the COVAX vaccines to be distributed throughout the country, including to Houthi areas, health ministry spokesman Ali al-Walidi told Reuters.

“GAVI, WHO and UNICEF teams are in constant discussion with the government of Yemen and the authorities in the north to define the logistical arrangements and the vaccination modalities,” Duamelle said.

Houthi health authorities told Reuters they had no money or plans to buy vaccines.

Yemen’s government has reported 2,122 coronavirus cases, including 615 deaths. Houthi authorities, who control most large urban centers, have not provided figures since May when they said there were four cases and one death.

The UN and aid agencies say these official figures vastly underestimate the spread of the virus.

Confirmed cases have levelled off to a couple of new cases a day since September, and suspected cases presenting at health centers and in communities have slowed, aid agencies say, concluding that the first wave of the epidemic has passed.

source: Reuters

Image source: AP

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”