Dominic Raab calls start of Covax rollout a 'huge step forward'

Global bid to prevent virus spread in developing countries gets under way

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  An Emirates plane carrying the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines distributed by the Covax initiative arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana. Unicef

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  Airport workers prepare to unload a batch of Covid-19 vaccines distributed by the Covax initiative at the airport in Accra, Ghana. Unicef

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  Staff unload a shipment of Covid-19 vaccines from an Emirates plane at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana. Unicef

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  Staff unload a shipment of Covid-19 vaccines from an Emirates plane in Accra, Ghana. The vaccines were distributed by the Covax initiative. Unicef

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  A shipment of Covid-19 vaccines is removed from the plane at the airport in Accra. Ghana received the first shipment of Covid doses from the Covax initiative on Wednesday. Unicef

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  Workers unload boxes of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines at the airport in Accra, Ghana. Reuters

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  Staff unload a batch of Covid-19 doses from the Covax initiative in Accra, Ghana. The Emirates flight carrying the vaccines landed at 0740 GMT on Wednesday. Unicef

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  Staff unload the first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines distributed by the Covax initiative at airport in Accra, Ghana. Unicef

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  A Unicef worker inspects the first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines distributed by the Covax initiative at the airport in Accra, Ghana's capital. Unicef

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  Airport staff unload the first shipment of Covid-19 doses from the Covax initiative at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. Unicef

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  Airport staff unload the first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. Unicef

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  Boxes of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana's capital. Reuters

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  A batch of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines is transported at the airport in Accra. Covax aims to deliver 2.4 million doses to Ghana. Reuters

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  Unicef's representative to Ghana Anne-Claire Dufay, left, with government officials at the airport in Accra during the hand-over of a shipment of Covid-19 vaccines. AFP

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  An Emirates logo is seen next to a Covax tag on a batch of Covid-19 vaccines at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana. AFP

UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab on Monday called the start of the Covax introduction of vaccines “a huge step forward in ending this pandemic”.

His buoyant words came after Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance announced that the first batch of Covax vaccines had arrived in Accra, Ghana.

They arrived on an Emirates flight at Accra's Kotoka International Airport shortly after 7.40am GMT, in images broadcast on television.

“As one of the biggest donors to Covax the UK is ensuring that more than one billion vaccine doses will be sent to 92 countries so that no one is left behind in this global fight,” Mr Raab said.

“We will only save lives and reduce the risk of future infections if we prevent the virus spreading in the world’s developing countries.”

Covax was launched last April to help ensure a fairer distribution of coronavirus vaccines between rich and poor nations. It has committed to delivering two billion doses to its members by the end of the year.

The delivery was also welcomed by shipment organisers Unicef and the World Health Organisation.

"We are pleased that Ghana has become the first country to receive the Covid-19 vaccines from the Covax facility," they said in a joint statement.

Ghana’s food and drug authority has authorised the use of the vaccines made in India, as well as the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, local media reported.

The West African country has recorded 80,759 Covid-19 cases and 582 deaths since the start of the pandemic – figures believed to fall short of the real toll owing to insufficient testing.