Ghana has become the first country in the world to receive Covid-19 vaccines from the World Health Organization-backed COVAX initiative that promises to deliver shots to poorer nations.

The 600,000 COVAX vaccines are part of an initial tranche of deliveries of the AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine licensed to the Serum Institute of India, which represent part of the first wave of COVID vaccines headed to several low and middle-income countries.

The shipments also represent the beginning of what should be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. The COVAX Facility plans to deliver close to 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines this year.

Ghana was picked to be the first recipient of the COVAX-funded shots after it outlined its national rollout plan and proved that its healthcare teams and cold chain equipment were adequately prepared.

Ghana’s vaccine rollout will begin on March 2 in phases starting with health workers, people older than 60, those with preexisting conditions and other frontline workers.