Many countries around the world have more doses of Covid-19 than they need and have donated them abroad. But at the moment, there are not many countries that are interested in free work.
Finland has donated about three million doses of Covid to other countries through the international distribution system. However, finding countries to receive donations has become increasingly difficult as demand for rations has declined.
"The African Union, for example, is no longer receiving vaccines [donated] From the EU" said Sari EkholmSenior Medical Adviser to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
Large-scale donations of AstraZeneca Covid began in Europe in November 2021, when countries, including Finland, stopped using the vaccines.
The Department of Health and Welfare (THL) announced in late October that the country would discontinue AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria coronavirus vaccine by the end of November.
Questions about the rare cases of thrombosis in some injectors raised concerns about the safety of the vaccine both in Finland and abroad.
This year, some African countries have refused to supply Johnson & Johnson-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccines and other generic vaccines because they may be more selective now that supply exceeds demand.
"In many African countries, people do not trust AstraZeneca, and unfortunately they do not trust what is sent from the West," said Eija Limnellsenior diplomat from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Finland’s donated vaccination doses have been directed to countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The first batches went to Ivory Coast in October, and since then vaccines have been donated to Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Nigeria and a small batch to Syria.
Donations are organized and distributed by an international organization called Covax or Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, which aims to ensure equal access to Covid vaccines.
Limnell said that Finland’s donations are primarily sent to poor and fragile countries.
Expiration dates are approaching
Approximately 195,000 doses of Covid were given in Finland in April. THL distributes injections around the country to hospital districts, which then deliver them to individual municipalities.
At the peak of Covid vaccination in Finland, thousands of doses a week were given in the Lapland Hospital District, but the number has dropped to a few hundred weekly doses.
According to the Lapland Hospital District Hospital’s pharmacist, the reasons for the sharp decline are the relief of the pandemic and changes in THL’s injection recommendations. Leena Laine.
He stated that the approximately three million doses currently stored in Finland can be used to obtain all the country’s so-called second booster vaccines (or fourth doses) as well as third vaccinations for children over five years of age.
During the summer, smaller batches of Covid vaccines will arrive in Finland, and larger shipments are expected in the autumn. Most of the work stored in the country will expire in November, according to a THL specialist Anniina Virkku.
"There are some smaller items with [expiration] dates are approaching, but for the most part there is still plenty of time left," Virkku told Yle.
Both the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health are exploring the possibility of donating vaccines directly to individual countries in co-operation with other Nordic countries.
Source: The Nordic Page