Resident Coordinator Remarks at Arrival of the COVAX Facility Vaccines Press Conference

I Wish to thank you all for joining this Press Conference to observe  World Health Day, and to discuss the recent delivery of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility. The theme for World Health Day 2021 is “Building a fairer, equitable and healthier world”. In this time of crisis, it has never ever been so relevant.

In his message for the WHD, the Secretary General stressed that  the COVID-19 crisis has revealed how unequal our societies are.

Within countries, illness and death from COVID-19 has been higher among people and communities that contend with poverty, unfavourable living and working conditions, discrimination, and social exclusion.

So Vaccine equity is crucial to protecting our most vulnerable and put an end to this global crisis. I stated recently, and I must reiterate that we have learned the hard way that the Virus has no borders. In the words of the UN Secretary General, COVID-19 vaccines must be seen as a global public good. We cannot end to this crisis unless everyone within the Caribbean region and elsewhere in the world has a fair access to vaccines.

In this regard, we are pleased to confirm that the first round of over 156,000 vaccine doses were delivered under the COVAX facility this week to Barbados, Dominica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and as recent as Today will be in Grenada. With a second round expected later in the second quarter hopefully, 20% of the population will have been vaccinated through COVAX.

The COVAX facility is a tangible response to ensure equity; it is a global coalition to procure and deliver vaccines for every country in the world. The COVAX actually facility reflects the true added value of multilateralism and how it works for the people. I thus want to personally express our sincerest thanks to our partners in this endeavor, for their ongoing or pledged contributions to the COVAX facility. Some are present here today: EU making initial contributions through CARPHA to access COVAX, Canada, Japan, UK, US has made important pledges.

So we must continue working together to build and restore a healthy Caribbean. It is heartening to see that this level of solidarity is truly alive in this region. E.g. we have observed the Government of  Barbados and Dominica, proactively sharing with Caribbean sister nations some of the initial doses received respectively from the Government of India; and vice versa wit others. This type of leadership must be applauded, as it serves as a true model of solidarity for the rest of the world.

I also give my assurances, that the UN System remains committed to upholding the principle of universality and leave no country behind.

We remain resolute in calling for global vaccine equity, particularly as it relates to access for low to middle income countries.

I also want to recognize PAHO for the important efforts deployed so far in support of COVAX to procure the vaccines in the region, with the support of WHO and UNICEF globally. I also wish to stress the work done by PAHO to support the roll out of the vaccination campaigns [I am very pleased that USAID will announce today a contribution to PAHO and UNICEF to further boost the vaccination campaigns in the sub region, in addition to contributions from others such as EU and Canada.]

Equally important is the need to invite all citizens, especially the most vulnerable, to get vaccinated; I want to call on the people of the region to seize this opportunity offered to get vaccinated. This is the most effective way out of this pandemic.

I wish to also once again commend our Government partners (A&B, barbados, Dominica and Saint Lucia represented here)  for your fortitude in responding and rebuilding from this pandemic. It is not easy. But this crisis has demonstrated how inter-connected our nations and regions are.  Hence, we must continue to strive in this collective effort to go back to normal, to make sure that we leave no one behind; and to that end, you have the assurances of the UN’s continued support