Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA) joins hands with the Botswana government to supply vaccine doses through the GAVI-led COVAX vaccine sharing scheme. The Modern said that the emergency use of Moderna’s vaccine is approved by the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BMRA).
Need for Vaccine
Over 54,973 cases of COVID-19 and 849 deaths are so far reported in Botswana. Thanks to lifting COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and strong global demand for diamonds, the country’s economy is projected to improve by 8.3%. Moderna is also going to deliver seven million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Canada in June.
The biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics & vaccines, Moderna, announced the supply agreement of the Covid-19 vaccine with the Government of the Republic of Botswana to assist Botswana in fighting the Covid-19.
Fighting The COVID-19 Pandemic
Stéphane Bancel, Moderna’s Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, said that they are committed to deliver its mRNA vaccine to every corner of the world and ensure that every person on the earth is vaccinated and ready to fight COVID-19.
An mRNA vaccine, Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine, also known as Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in the United States, is in high demand worldwide. COVAX, a global initiative co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), ensures impartial access to Covid-19 vaccines for all countries irrespective of income levels.
Agreements
This supply agreement between Botswana & Moderna is separate from the early agreement announced in May with the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi. Botswana gets over 500 million doses of Moderna vaccine that includes 34 million doses of vaccine that Botswana is set to receive in this year’s fourth quarter through that agreement. In addition to the AstraZeneca vaccine, this year, in April in Gaborone, BMRA approved other vaccines. Dr. Nkaelang Modutlwa, Director of Product Evaluation & Registration of BMRA, said that BMRA had approved more vaccines, including Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Sinovac, and Moderna.
