Korea plans to donate $70 million this year to an international health organisation designed to facilitate the development and distribution of vaccines, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Park Sang-hoon, Korean ambassador to Spain, made the announcement during a Mid-Term Review of Gavi, a vaccine alliance that helps run the global COVAX programme aimed at delivering COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries.

At the meeting, Park noted Gavi’s important role in vaccine distribution and stressed the Korean government’s strong commitment to improving the global health system, the ministry said.

Last year, Seoul pledged to make an annual contribution of $100 million in 2023-2025 to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, an initiative launched by the World Health Organization and various partners to focus on vaccines, treatments and tests for COVID-19.

The latest contribution is part of the $100 million fund Korea has set aside for this year. The remaining $30 million will be provided to the United Nations Children’s Fund and Unitaid, according to the ministry.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/06/119_353101.html

Category: Korea