The World Health Organization warns delays in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccine to countries in Africa are putting lives at risk and threatening the continued spread of the coronavirus on the continent and across borders. To date, the WHO reports 4.7 million COVID-19 cases across Africa, including 127,000 deaths.FILE – Mary Nyoka, 65, of South Sudan gets the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Swinga Health Centre 3 in Bidibidi. settlement, Yumbe district, northern Uganda. (Halima Athumani/VOA)Moeti says Africa is also suffering from a severe shortage of money to pay for the operational costs of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. She says urgent action and international solidarity is crucial in ensuring Africa can obtain the vaccines it needs and finance the rollout. “We welcome the pledge by the United States this week to share 80 million doses with other countries, with a substantial proportion expected to go through COVAX, in addition to recent shipments of vaccines from France to Mauritania, and pledges by several other high-income countries,” she said.  US to Distribute 80 Million Vaccine Doses Globally, on Basis of Need  Sharing is caring: US distribution of vaccines is, president says, a case of ‘the fundamental decency of American people’  The World Bank estimates every month of delay in the provision of COVID-19 vaccine to Africa could cost the continent close to $14 billion in lost GDP.  The financial institution so far has provided $1 billion to help 39 African countries tackle the pandemic. Last fall, its board of directors also approved a $12 billion package to help countries purchase and deploy COVID-19 vaccines. 
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