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Today marked a milestone for Ethiopia and its flag. The country received 2.184 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine through the global vaccine exchange initiative COVAX. These doses were brought by Ethiopian Airlines.
Roll the ball
In December, Ethiopian Airlines reached an agreement with Cainiao Network, which is the logistics arm of the Alibaba Group. This agreement formed an international cold chain from China for the supply of pharmaceuticals, including vaccines. Subsequently, the temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals are delivered twice a week from Shenzhen, China, to Africa and beyond, through hubs in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Following this progress, millions of doses of the vaccine landed in Ethiopia today. Ethiopian Airlines shared the following about the delivery on their Twitter.
“We have transported and delivered the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines to Ethiopia. The shipment arrived today and was delivered to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health in a ceremony held at our cargo terminal. We will continue to provide this mission critical service to save lives “
We have transported and delivered the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines to Ethiopia. The shipment arrived today and was delivered to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health in a ceremony held at our cargo terminal. We will continue to provide this mission critical service to save lives. #FlyEtiope pic.twitter.com/yx3XtNq0JR
– Ethiopian Airlines (@flyethiopian) March 7, 2021
A vital service
WHO Ethiopia too tweeted how the delivery was a historic event. The group confirmed that the product that arrived is the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine. He added that this measure is a great step to ensure an equitable distribution of vaccines amid the pandemic.
Emblematic event! #Ethiopia🇪🇹 has received the #AstraZeneca # COVID-19 vaccine through #COVAX. This is a big step to ensure a fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. @WHO @Gavi @CEPIvaccines @UNICEF @ PMEthiopia @AbiyAhmedAli @WHOAFRO @FMoHealth pic.twitter.com/XvgXL4c0OX
– WHO Ethiopia (@WHOEthiopia) March 7, 2021
Today, Ethiopian Airlines leadership said the company is ready to take a leadership role in the transportation of vaccines around the world. The airline’s cargo division expects demand for these operations to last up to three years.
Fitsum Abadi, Managing Director of Ethiopian Cargo, told Reuters the following:
“We have converted passenger planes by removing their seats, 16 of them, which are very wide planes converted to transport vaccines.”
Up to the task
In all, Ethiopian Freight Division has been expanding services amid the global health crisis. Shipping has been a lifesaver for carriers amid the severe drop in passenger activity, and Ethiopian recognizes the potential.
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The airline is rapidly adapting its operations amid the emergence of new opportunities. Early in the pandemic, the operator took seats on 25 of its passenger planes to increase cargo capacity. As the world becomes more dependent on product delivery, the carrier is ready to take on the challenge.
Simple Flying reached out to Ethiopian Airlines for further comment on this landmark delivery this weekend. We will update the article with more updates from the carrier.
Overall, what do you think about Ethiopian Airlines delivering the first batches of the coronavirus vaccine to Ethiopia? Have you followed the progress of the carrier’s mission over the last year? Let us know what you think of the company’s activity in the comment section.
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