STOCKHOLM: Sweden will donate 3 million doses vaccine to the COVAX facility in 2021, up from a previous pledge of 1 million doses, Sweden's government said in a statement on Monday.

"In this way Sweden contributes to more than our share of the EU's target of donating at least 100 million doses to low- and middle income countries in 2021," the government said in the statement.

Sweden said earlier in May it would donate 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to COVAX.

The COVAX facility, backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), aims to secure 2 billion vaccine doses for lower-income countries by the end of 2021.