Ireland is to donate up to three million further vaccine doses to lower-income countries.

The vaccines are being donated to the international COVAX programme which works to deliver much-needed vaccines to low and middle-income countries.

The programme initially aimed to deliver two billion shots worldwide this year; however, it is now expected to deliver well under half that figure.

By March of this year, high-income countries, accounting for just 16% of the world’s population had negotiated vaccine procurement arrangements taking up more than half the world’s supply.

By the end of September, 56 countries around the world had yet to meet the WHO target of vaccinating 10% of their populations.

In a statement, the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said “universal and equitable” access to vaccines is a priority for Ireland.

“Today’s announcement that Ireland will donate up to three million vaccine doses builds on and is additional to Government’s previous commitment to donate two million vaccines,” he said.

“While our national vaccination programmes continues with the rollout and acceleration of the booster programme, it is vitally important that we ensure that vaccines reach those who need them most across the globe.

“Our donated vaccines have already been delivered to a number of countries, including Uganda, Nigeria and Indonesia. The latest consignment will shortly arrive in Ghana and further doses will be delivered to lower-income countries over the coming weeks and months.”

The Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said rates in many developing countries remain below 2%.

“As we go into the Christmas period, we must remember that others go into the weeks ahead without the vaccine protection rates we have achieved in Ireland,” he said.

“Vaccination significantly reduces the risk of serious illness. Everybody, regardless of where they are from, should have access to vaccines.

“While the global vaccination rate is now over 40%, rates in many developing countries are below 2%. Today’s announcement is a further sign of Ireland’s commitment to addressing this imbalance.”

The WHO has warned countries against offering booster doses to non-vulnerable populations before ensuring that less well-off countries can vaccinate those most at-risk.

Separately, experts have warned that the failure to distribute vaccines equitably around the world offers the virus opportunities to mutate and create more variants.