There is an announcement that the first coronavirus vaccine could be registered in November this year, and could arrive in Bosnia and Herzegovina in April or May next year, according to the statement given by Assistant Federal Minister of Health Goran Cerkez for “Avaz“.
”For now, the vaccine will not be mandatory.”
However, the fact is that we have a clear strategy for some 20 percent of the population to be immunized immediately in the first phase. This includes health workers and citizens in risk groups, said Cerkez.
He added that they are considering vaccinating the rest of the population after 20 percent of the population.
On September 16th, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina approved the Agreement on Procurement of Vaccines with the Global Alliance for Vaccines (GAVI), after it adopted the Information on the Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Instrument for Global Access to Vaccines for Covid – 19 (Kovaks / COVAX /).
The Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH is authorized to sign the Agreement on Procurement of Vaccines with the Global Alliance for Vaccines (GAVI) and the Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs, as the signatory of this agreement as a witness, Avaz news portal reports.
Obligations to pay the costs of purchased vaccines, arising from the signed Agreement on Mutual Rights and Obligations related to the procurement of vaccines through the Instrument for Global Access to Vaccines for Covid – 19 (Kovaks), are borne by the institution of the entity or Brcko District of BiH.
The Council of Ministers of BiH passed the Decision on approving 50,000 BAM from the current budget reserve to the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH for the costs of storage, forwarding and transportation of vaccines arising from the Vaccine Procurement Agreement with the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), and previously approved the allocation of these funds.
The session approved the initiation of the procedure for obtaining an external guarantee with the relevant financial institutions or securing the coverage of obligations in another way for the fulfillment of obligations under the Agreement with the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to the Global Vaccine Access Instrument for Covid – 19 (Kovaks) with the obligation to pay on the first call the amount of 18,238,977.74 BAM, for which the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH is in charge.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs will continue to monitor the implementation of obligations under the Agreement with the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) on BiH’s accession to the Global Vaccine Accession Instrument for Covid-19 (Kovaks), which will be reported semi-annually by the BiH Council of Ministers.