On March 17 of 2021, UNICEF received the first 84,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility, a global effort between the Coalition for the Promotion of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
This arrival marks a historic step towards the goal of ensuring equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, in what will be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. The delivery is part of a first dose phase that Ecuador will receive and it is planned that more vaccines will arrive successively during 2021.
