Kinshasa, March 30th, 2021 (CPA) – The World Health Organization (WHO) warns against an unbalanced distribution of vaccines and against the growing gap between the numbers of doses of Covid-19 vaccines available for rich countries and those distributed to poorer nations through COVAX mechanism, reports a WHO statement.
According to the source, the warning follows a statement by UN chief Antonio Guterres, who on Sunday criticized the excessive « storage » of vaccines by developed countries, calling on them to share them with the rest of the world. « The gap between the number of vaccines given in rich countries and the number of vaccines given through COVAX is widening every day », said WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
« The inequitable distribution of vaccines is not only a moral outrage, it is also economically destructive. As long as the virus continues to circulate, people will continue to die, trade and travel will continue to be disrupted, and economic recovery will continue delayed », he added at a virtual world conference in Abu Dhabi devoted to immunization around the world.
For its part, UNICEF on Monday urged rich countries to make donations to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines, adding that USD 510 million is needed to support worldwide distribution.
« We need help. We need vaccine manufacturers to prioritize COVAX and strive for regulatory approval for rapid, fair and affordable distribution », said Henrietta Fore, director general of the UN agency for children. ACP /