Think back to when the pandemic began. Everything had shut down. The world was crying out for vaccines, oxygen and PPE and our children's rights to education became uncertain. This is when UNICEF stepped up with decades of experience. UNICEF had the skills and capacity that the world needed at a moment in history when the outlook was dire and we were not alone.
We stood shoulder to shoulder with partners, old friends and new, with a shared objective to save lives, minimize suffering, and get life back to normal for children and families together. We knew we could get the job done. Working with our COVAX partners, we managed the delivery of more than 800 million COVID 19 vaccine doses to 110 countries. We strengthened and extended cold chain with the procurement and transport of over 50,000 units of cold chain equipment.
We increased our total procurement of supplies and services for the year by more than 60 per cent. And while all this was happening, we didn't give up on other priorities. We kept delivering for children. We shipped 2.3 billion doses of lifesaving vaccines, protecting children against diseases like polio, measles and tetanus. We helped children keep learning in the most dire of situations.
We mobilized supplies for the world's humanitarian emergencies, supporting those caught up in conflict and natural disasters. This was only possible thanks to our donors and partners from the public and private sectors. They supported us in scaling up our work when the world needed us most and when the next crisis hits, we will be there together for every child.
UNICEF makes it happen.
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