WHO bemoans low availability of vaccines among poor countries

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WHO bemoans low availability of vaccines among poor countries

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has bemoaned low vaccine among poor nations citing possible moral catastrophic.

The organisation's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was not fair for younger, healthy people in richer nations to get injections before vulnerable people in poorer states.

According to him, over 39 million vaccine doses had been given in 49 richer states - but one poor nation had only 25 doses. 

Many of the richer countries where the vaccine have been developed have prioritised distribution among their populace, resulting into lower dosages being available to poorer nations.

He said "I need to be blunt: the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure - and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world's poorest countries."

Dr Tedros said a "me-first" approach would be self-defeating because it would push up prices and encourage hoarding. 

"Ultimately, these actions will only prolong the pandemic, the restrictions needed to contain it, and human and economic suffering," he added.

He then suggested a fair distribution of the vaccines among all nations imploring them to honour vaccine-sharing scheme Covax, which is due to start rolling out next month. 

Over 180 countries have signed up to the Covax initiative, which is supported by the WHO and a group of international vaccine advocacy groups. Its aim is to unite countries into one bloc so they have more power to negotiate with drug companies.

He said, "My challenge to all member states is to ensure that by the time World Health Day arrives on 7 April, Covid-19 vaccines are being administered in every country, as a symbol of hope for overcoming both the pandemic and the inequalities that lie at the root of so many global health challenges".

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