KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) do not distribute Covid-19 vaccines to countries in exchange for political favour, said Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman.
She said the distribution of vaccines are made based on needs.
As such, she said the US, which is currently the largest contributor to Covax, is committed to work with the vaccine facility to ensure sufficient vaccine distribution to all countries.
She said the US had also committed to provide 80 million doses of the vaccines to those in need as production for the vaccines are ramped up.
âThe Biden administration is deciding how best we distribute them. We do not distribute vaccine for political favour, we distribute them on the basis of need and I expect a big portion will go to Covax because Covax will try to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines,â she said in a teleconference briefing with media of Asia, from Bangkok, on Tuesday.
Sherman was currently touring the South East Asia region where she had visited Indonesia and Cambodia prior to Bangkok.
Covax, or the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, is a worldwide initiative led by World Health Organisation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Covax has so far shipped more than 77 million vaccines to 127 countries.
âSo we are doing everything that we can, the best that we can, in complete recognition that no one is safe, including the United States, until everyone is safe,â she said.
In February, US President Joe Biden had pledged US$4 billion to the global Covid-19 vaccine programme with the immediate US$2 billion donation, while another US$2 billion will be provided over the next two years. –Bernama
