Saudi Arabia to donate $5.3 mln to supply COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries

Saudi Arabia will donate $5.3 million (20 million riyals) to provide COVID-19 vaccines to less developed Muslim countries, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said on Monday.

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The Kingdom’s donation will be extended to 22 IOC member states.

Saudi Arabia also called on other Muslim nations to join the initiative and donate COVID-19 vaccines to less developed countries, according to the OIC.

Last month, the Kingdom said it will grant the families of healthcare workers who died from COVID-19 while treating infected patients $133,300 (500,000 Saudi Riyals), the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Families of all healthcare employees who died of the coronavirus – regardless of whether they were Saudi nationals or expatriate residents, worked in the government or private sector, or in the civilian or military sector – will be compensated, SPA said.

In July, Tunisia’s President Kais Saied said in a statement that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had pledged to send vaccinations and whatever medical equipment Tunisia needed.

Several countries promised to help Tunisia fight the coronavirus on Friday as the north African country recorded its highest daily death toll since the pandemic began, putting its health care system under severe stress and depleting oxygen supplies.

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Saudi Arabia grants $133,000 to families of healthcare workers who died from COVID-19