States awards £85,000 to UNICEF in overseas aid

Saturday 22 May 2021

An Emergency Aid Award has been made to the COVAX initiative, a UNICEF programme helping to vaccinate people in countries struggling against the virus.

The Overseas Aid & Development Commission has agreed to donate £85,000 of public money towards the cause.

A response is underway globally to support poorer countries in their vaccine output and this has been spearheaded by UNICEF and its COVAX programme.

Pictured: UNICEF's COVAX initiative has been working to vaccinate people in places like Sri Lanka and India, where a new variant has recently torn through the country. 

UNICEF is present in more than 190 countries and regions, and is the largest buyer and distributor of vaccines in the world. The organisation is also helping countries procure vaccine-related supplies such as syringes and storage. 

“I have been hugely impressed by the rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations on the island and I know many people have been grateful to receive them,” said President of the OA&DC, Deputy Chris Blin.

“But at the same time, I realise that there are millions of people around the world in poorer countries who will not have the same opportunity as Guernsey residents to be vaccinated unless more affluent jurisdictions assist.”

Pictured: “You only have to look at recent devastating scenes in India to see how important [our contribution] is,” said Deputy Blin.

“Although in time it may become a well-worn phrase, it still holds true that ‘no one is safe until everyone is safe’,” he said. “A donation based on the equivalent of a single vaccine for each member of the Guernsey population will be a fitting contribution to this.”

The Head of the Civil Contingencies Authority agreed with Deputy Blin during the latest CCA media briefing.

“Now the population of this Bailiwick is about 65,000 people and this donation will allow two doses for the same amount of people in countries who don’t have easy access to vaccines,” said the CCA's Chairman Peter Ferbrache.