Sharjah24 - Reuters: Bolivian President Luis Arce said on Saturday that the country had reached a deal to receive some 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in February via the COVAX program backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi vaccine alliance.

The COVAX programme is aiming to deliver 1.3 billion doses of approved vaccines to 92 eligible low- and middle-income nations in 2021, though it faces potential delays amid a global scramble for vaccines.

"In February we will receive almost a million vaccines. We are making progress, we have vaccines, we have hope, we will move forward," Arce said in a televised message.

Bolivia, which has been trying to make up ground with vaccine deals as its hospitals strain under rising cases, received 20,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine this week to start inoculating high risk groups.

Earlier on Saturday, Guatemala also said that it would be receiving the first 800,000 doses of vaccine via COVAX in February.

COVAX said earlier this month that it had agreements in place to access more than 2 billion doses Its suppliers include Pfizer and AstraZeneca.