Geneva, 15 September 2021 (TDI): According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa has been “left behind by the rest of the world” in terms of coronavirus vaccines.
Director-General of WHO, Doctor Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking at a press conference, said that more than 5.7 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines had been administered globally but only 2% of those had been given in Africa and warned that if vaccines are not shared fairly, the virus will have a greater chance of mutating.
Only two African countries had met the WHO target of vaccinating 40% of their populations by the end of 2021, he added. He claims it is the lowest of any region. He stated that many people in Africa are at high risk of disease and death as a result of being exposed to a virus against which many people around the world are enjoying protection, and this doesn’t only hurt the people of Africa, it hurts all of us.
To avoid this scenario, the WHO, GAVI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and UNICEF formed COVAX last year to accelerate vaccine development and equitable distribution. We urge manufacturers to prioritize COVAX and AVAT and share information on supply and delivery projections so that countries can be ready to roll out vaccines as soon as they arrive, added Tedros.
: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa has been “left behind by the rest of the world” in terms of coronavirus vaccines.){kind=link}