Mexico joins WHO coronavirus vaccine plan

Mexico, which has one of the world's highest COVID-19 death tolls, announced Friday that it was joining a WHO-backed program to facilitate poor countries' access to coronavirus vaccines.

The mechanism, known as Covax, aims to secure two billion doses of safe and effective vaccines by the end of 2021 and ensure a more equitable distribution.

Mexico has registered more than 75,000 coronavirus deaths—the world's fourth-highest toll after the United States, Brazil and India.

Covax has struggled to raise the funds needed to provide for the 92 low-income countries and other economies that quickly signed up.

But in a boost to the initiative, more than 60 wealthy nations including the 27 European Union member states committed to joining, it was announced this week.

© 2020 AFP