The first phase will focus on health frontline workers in the province. 

Qatar Red Crescent Society [QRCS] has started monitoring phase 1 of the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access [COVAX] programme in northern Syria, the organisation announced.

“Under its neutral vaccination monitoring programme in Syria, QRCS has started the monitoring of Phase 1 of WHO Covid-19 vaccination campaign in northern Syria, as part of COVAX, a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines,” QRCS said in a tweet.

Under its neutral vaccination monitoring program in #Syria, #QRCS has started the monitoring of Phase 1 of #WHO COVID-19 vaccination campaign in northern Syria, as part of #COVAX, a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to #COVID19 vaccines. pic.twitter.com/arJ4lcReCm

— الهلال الأحمر القطري (@QRCS) May 9, 2021

The Syria Vaccination Team initiated the campaign in Aleppo and Idlib’s countryside in early May. Phase 1 of the programme targets 53,000 health and relief workers in 82 facilities and is expected to last for 15-days.

It includes giving the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to health and humanitarian professionals in the northern part of the country to protect them against the virus.

The organisation said it deployed 30 trained field inspectors across designated areas to enforce quality control while supervising the injections.

Co-led by the World Health Organisation [WHO], Gavi, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations [CEPI], COVAX is a worldwide initiative to ensure vulnerable communities are protected against the virus.

The programme also aims to advocate for the acceleration of the development and manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access for all countries around the world, WHO highlighted on its website.

Read also: Qatar launches major Covid-19 vaccination drive for refugees worldwide.

Over the past year, Qatar has been working relentlessly to provide Covid-19 vaccination to vulnerable communities around the world.

Last month, the country announced a major $100 million initiative to vaccinate more than three million refugees and displaced people in 20 countries around the world.

QRCS’s initiative, titled “I Am Vaccinated, I Donated”, kicked off last month in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and is scheduled to run for three years, covering 20 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

“Implementation will be carried out through the World Health Organisation, according to the procedures adopted in each country, in coordination with the concerned authorities,” said QRCS in a statement.

Up to 3,650,000 of vulnerable populations, including internally displaced people and migrant communities will be vaccinated as part of the campaign.

Some of the countries listed by QRCS were Afghanistan, Bangladesh, northern Syria, occupied Palestinian territories, and Yemen. Each country will be receiving 400,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines.

Due to the high number of displaced people in Lebanon, which hosts more than one million Syrian refugees, 150,000 of the targeted populations will be inoculated.

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