Pfizer-BioNTech pledge two billion doses to poor nations

ROME — American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTech have pledged to deliver two billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to middle and low-income countries over the next 18 months.

The companies, which together developed the first vaccine to be authorised for use in the United States and Europe, made the announcement Friday at a global health summit in Rome co-hosted by the European Union's executive arm and Italy.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says they expect to provide a billion of the doses this year and another billion in 2022.

It was unclear whether the deliveries would take place through the World Health Organization-backed COVAX programme, which aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low and middle-income countries or if nations would get the doses at a reduced price.

The summit is drawing the Group of 20 industrial and emerging-market nations, the heads of international organisations, and representatives of global health bodies.

As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies.

This week, the UN Security Council expressed concern about the small number of doses that have reached Africa.

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