The United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric has expressed readiness to continue support for Iran in the fight against the global pandemic.
The UN team in Iran continues to support the nation in addressing the health, human, and socio-economic needs of those affected by COVID-19, he said on Friday.
“We also focus on helping the most vulnerable, including immigrants, undocumented Afghans who have lived in Iran for many years, and thousands who have recently entered Iran,” Dujarric noted, IRNA reported.
With the increase in vaccination pace, the daily number of victims in Iran is decreasing. The World Health Organization says 72 million people have so far been vaccinated in Iran, reducing pressure on hospitals and the health system, he also stated.
Dujarric stated that the UN team has so far delivered 12 million vaccines to the country under the COVAX initiative. Iran has also received one million vaccines bilaterally.
We are working to allocate more vaccines to Iran through COVAX, including for a significant number of Afghan migrants, he concluded.
On May 24, Indrika Ratwatte, Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said that Iran has generously considered refugees over the age of 75 for vaccination against coronavirus, appreciating Iran for over four decades of hosting refugees.
Vaccination in Iran progressing well
Earlier in October, World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Iran Jaffar Hussain has said that the process of vaccination against coronavirus in Iran is progressing well.
Iran's health system can be a model for other countries in the region, especially in the field of health and the use of valuable forces such as healthcare providers (called Behvarz in Iran), he stated, IRNA reported.
Iranian health centers have good experience to meet the needs of society, he noted, highlighting, In Iran, despite sanctions, most health indicators, such as the health of infants, pregnant women, access to health services, and health insurance coverage, are in good condition.
Vaccination up, mortality down
Iran has recently accelerated its vaccination rollout and is now administering in the range of one million doses per day. So far, 20 percent of the population has received both doses. However, the pandemic continues to strongly affect the country's unvaccinated population.
In July, delta variant mortality peaked and recorded over 700 daily deaths, but the increase of vaccination pace reduced the toll.
Today, many age groups of the elderly, rare diseases patients, teachers, university professors, health professionals, veterans, etc. have been vaccinated and now the process of vaccinating students is underway.
Vaccination reduced the mortality rate among the elderly aging 60 or above by 30 percent, and the trend is declining.
Studies show that people who are not vaccinated are 4.5 times more likely to develop COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated, and 10 and 11 times more likely to be hospitalized and die, respectively.