Our purpose is to enhance the lives and health of individuals

Alvogen and Alvotech donates USD 100 thousand to UNICEF in the combat against COVID-19

Birna Thórarinsdóttir, Executive Director at UNICEF Iceland, and Róbert Wessman, the CEO of Alvogen, signed a collaboration agreement on 5 March 2021, under which the companies, Alvogen and sister company Alvotech will donate USD 100 thousand towards UNICEF’s struggle against the corona virus. The contribution will be used in UNICEF's participation in COVAX collaboration work in which the fund plays a key role in getting vaccines to over 90 low and middle income countries.

“It fits in very nicely with our purpose to enhance the lives and health of individuals all around the globe and increase their access to high quality medicines, regardless of their location or economic status,“ Róbert Wessman says.

Every year, UNICEF (the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund), vaccinates close to half the children in the world. Even though the COVAX collaboration does not revolve around the vaccination of children, UNICEF uses its expert knowledge in vaccination to participate in this historical project, since the virus has upset children’s lives all over the world.

“We are extremely grateful to the Alvo companies for this important support. The corona virus won’t be eradicated unless we eradicate it in all the countries of the world,“ says Birna Thórarinsdóttir, executive Director at UNICEF Iceland.

UNICEF plays a key role in the COVAX collaboration, which ensures an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to lower-income nations. The project is conducted by WHO, GAVI and CEPI. The COVAX partnership works both with governments and manufacturers to guarantee fair access to vaccines among the nations of the world where UNICEF leads the procurement and delivery of vaccines and syringes to over 90 low and middle income countries. In addition to this, UNICEF and its partners provide guidelines for the procedures needed for the safe implementation of vaccinations, the training of healthcare professionals and the building of community trust in vaccinations.

The objective of the COVAX collaboration is to ensure the provision of 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021. After months of preparation, vaccines, syringes and other equipment are starting to arrive. COVAX vaccines have now reached, among other places, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cambodia, Sudan, Rwanda and Senegal. Other countries will be added to this group over the coming days and weeks. The evolution of COVID-19 vaccines and the achievements of the COVAX partnership can be monitored in a new dashboard launched by UNICEF.