Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and a group of global health leaders, yesterday, pledged to vaccinate 70 per cent of the population of all countries by mid-2022.
They said more than 5.7 billion doses have been administered globally but only two per cent of those have been administered in Africa, even as they issued an urgent call for vaccine equity worldwide and in Africa in particular.
The leaders, at a press conference, stressed that the worst pandemic in the last hundred years will not end, unless and until there is genuine global cooperation on vaccine supply and access.
Ghebreyesus was joined by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), Dr. Seth Berkley; African Union (AU) Special Envoy for COVID-19, Strive Masiyima; Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Director, Dr. John Nkengasong; President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah; United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission For Africa, Dr. Vera Songwe; and WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti.
WHO targets the vaccination of at least 10 per cent of the population of every country by September, at least 40 per cent by the end of the year, and 70 per cent globally by the middle of next year.
Almost 90 per cent of high-income countries have reached the 10 per cent target, and more than 70 per cent have reached the 40 per cent target. Not a single low-income country has reached either target.
Globally, 5.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered, but 80 per cent have been administered in high- and upper-middle income countries.
High-income countries have administered almost 100 doses for every 100 people. Meanwhile, low-income countries have only been able to administer 1.5 doses for every 100 people, due to lack of supply.
