Tetra Laval (owners of Tetra Pak) have made a €10m contribution in support of UNICEF’s work to deliver COVID-19 vaccines globally. The donation will contribute to UNICEF’s efforts to strengthen global vaccine equity, especially in lower-income countries.
Since early 2021, UNICEF has delivered more than 700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 144 countries around the world on behalf of the COVAX Facility. In addition, UNICEF has been providing in-country technical and financial support in over 130 countries to help turn vaccines into vaccinations, as well as working with partners, governments and communities to address the stark inequalities across the globe in accessing life-saving COVID-19 vaccines, tests, treatments and protective equipment.
“The lives of millions of children have been put on hold in the past two years as the pandemic shuttered schools, disrupted health services, and kept children away from friends and extended family. Children want their lives back,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “Equal access to vaccines for all countries is the surest pathway out of the pandemic. We thank Tetra Laval and all our donors for sharing this belief and hope that their support inspires other organizations, businesses and individuals to be as generous.”
“Science tells us that we will only defeat the pandemic if we reach a sufficiently high vaccination coverage globally. Making funds available to UNICEF and COVAX is important to us as it will contribute to the health and safety of many people and hopefully speed up the return to the new normal,” said Lars Renström, Chairman of the Board, Tetra Laval Group. “We are a purpose led company, focusing on securing safe food distribution sustainably everywhere. We know that UNICEF´s invaluable job to secure vaccination everywhere will work in the same direction.”
UNICEF recently launched its 2022 ACT-A Humanitarian Action for Children appeal (ACT-A HAC)calling for donors to support countries with the lowest vaccination rates, especially countries impacted by complex humanitarian crises. Aside from funding the in-country delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, the ACT-A HAC is appealing for $933m to support the delivery of diagnostics, tests and treatments for COVID-19 patients, the provision of personal protective equipment for frontline health workers, and the strengthening of health care systems to fight the global pandemic in 2022.
