UPS (NYSE: UPS), The UPS Foundation and UPS Healthcare aremoving quickly to support an equitable delivery program andsustainable global supply chain of COVID-19 vaccines. UPS, incollaboration with COVAX, Gavi, the vaccine alliance and CARE willinitially facilitate the delivery of 20 million doses for countriesthat have not had sufficient access to vaccines, including toppriority groups like healthcare workers.
“We believe we have the ability – and responsibility – tofacilitate and accelerate equitable COVID-19 vaccine deliveryaround the world,” said Scott Price, President UPS International.“UPS continues to build and inspire action across a network ofglobal public-private partnerships that will ensure vaccines movemore efficiently and equitably. Our work focuses on countries withlimited resources and constrained supply chains andinfrastructures. The goal is simple and our commitment isunwavering – moving our world forward by delivering whatmatters.”
The latest global vaccination rate is approximately sixmillion doses per day. According to several studies, at that rateit would take an estimated 5.4 years to cover 75 percent of theglobal population with a two-dose vaccine. The role ofpublic-private partnerships is a vital component in building globalsolutions for global challenges, such as the pandemic, and theneeded access to vaccines to fight it.
Building partnerships
Global success hinges upon bringing together and mobilizingthe right partnerships. Helping to establish and fuel theseefforts, UPS Healthcare and The UPS Foundation will:
Provide transportation solutions that leverage UPS cold-chaintechnology
Dedicate ultra-low temperature freezer donations necessary tomaintain vaccine dose viability at the correct temperature invarying environments
Commit UPS loaned executives to provide logistics expertiseand coordination with vaccine manufacturers and NGO partners tomanage and streamline deliveries
This initial level of support from The UPS Foundation is morethan $3 million in contributions to our global partners. Thiscapacity building effort is made up of a $2 million grant directedto Gavi who is matching the grant to bring it to $4 million. Withthe addition of $1 million of in-kind support, The UPS Foundationis providing transportation, donating cold-chain capacity in theform of freezers and lending technical expertise to partners inneed.
This comprehensive level of support amounts to more than $5million in support of equitable vaccine distribution and healthsystems strengthening efforts across Gavi-supported countries.
“With supply limited for the foreseeable future, COVID-19vaccines are arguably the world’s most precious commodity thisyear,” said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi. “With every dose beingso important, it is critical to ensure that our partner countrieshave the necessary support and tools to deliver vaccineseffectively and efficiently to those who need them. This newsupport builds on the long-standing partnership between Gavi andthe UPS Foundation, which is focused on ensuring that every childin Gavi-supported countries receives lifesaving vaccines.”
The UPS Foundation is also providing support for CARE’s Fast +Fair initiative, which is focused on equitable distribution ofCOVID-19 vaccines to at-risk groups including healthcare workers,caregivers and refugees in 11 initial countries includingBangladesh, Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, India and SouthSudan.
“We are interdependent as a global community – no one is safeuntil everyone is safe,”said Nikki Clifton, President of The UPSFoundation. “Now is the time to link our arms around the world. Nowis the time to deliver vaccines – and hope – to everyone,regardless of wealth or location.”
Collectively, these public-private efforts, such as the one inGhana, are designed to ensure COVID-19 vaccines begin flowingquickly to countries in dire need. Through UPS and partner support,more than 10 million people in countries across Africa, Asia,Europe and South America will receive the COVID-19 vaccine in thefirst wave of vaccine distribution.