Cellnex Collaborates with UNICEF to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines to Vulnerable Countries

March 8, 2022 2:54 pm

Cellnex has signed an agreement with UNICEF Spain to help facilitate equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines in low- and middle-income countries through COVAX.

The COVAX mechanism is co-led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), with UNICEF as a key partner for implementation. As such, COVAX represents an unprecedented global logistical and health operation. Thanks to its role as the world’s largest supplier of vaccines, UNICEF has been designated to organise the procurement, transport and distribution of vaccines, tests and therapeutics to low- and lower-middle-income countries.

A global commitment to fight the pandemic

In response to the global COVID-19 crisis, and as part of its social commitment, Cellnex is promoting, both directly and through its foundation, several health and social initiatives included in its COVID-19 Relief Initiative, a fund endowed with €10 million that was launched in 2020 to collaborate with national and international organisations and projects aimed at helping to minimise the health, economic and social impacts of the pandemic.

This initiative includes social and healthcare aid projects implemented in every country where the telecommunications company operates.

Lluís Deulofeu, senior advisor to Cellnex and president of the Cellnex Foundation, commented: “In order to overcome this global health crisis, it is fundamental that the vaccine reaches everyone. That’s why we believe COVAX is a highly valuable initiative that will provide a differential boost towards achieving immunity, including in low- and lower-middle-income countries, thereby allowing us all to get back to normal. Cellnex facilitates access to connectivity; through this collaboration of the Cellnex Foundation with UNICEF, we also want to facilitate access to vaccines.”