TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is planning to pledge an additional $800 million to the World Health Organization’s COVAX program, which provides COVID-19 vaccines to countries in need, the Mainichi newspaper reported on Wednesday. Japan has already pledged $200 million to COVAX, and the country is expected to announce donations of vaccine doses to the program, the newspaper said without citing a source. ADVERTISEMENTSuga will serve as host for an online COVAX summit on Wednesday, which will also be attended by United States Vice President Kamala Harris, philanthropist Bill Gates, and representatives from Group of Seven nations. Japan has no immediate plans to use the AstraZeneca doses it has on hand and has secured enough supplies of other types of vaccine for its entire population. The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link .

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 02, 2021 01:52 UTC