Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says expectations for a balanced vaccine circulation are at ‘high risk’.
The world is on the verge of a “catastrophic moral failure” over the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warns urging countries and manufacturers to distribute doses more equitably across countries.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that expectations for fair distribution are at “high risk” just a vaccine sharing scheme COVAX aims to start circulating inoculations next month. COVAX is a WHO-led initiative aimed at delivering COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries.
He noted that 44 bilateral contracts were signed last year and at least 12 have been signed this year.
“This could delay COVAX delivery and directly create the situation COVAX was designed to avoid, with circulation, a chaotic market, an uncoordinated response, and ongoing social and economic unrest,” he said.
Such a “me-alone approach” has left the world’s poorest and most vulnerable at risk, he said at the opening of the organisation’s executive board annual meeting.
“Ultimately these actions will only lead to the pandemic.”
The global scramble for shots has increased as more infectious variations of the virus circulate.
Tedros cited as an example of inequality that more than 39 million doses of vaccine have been given in 49 higher-income countries but only 25 doses have been given in a poor country.
Earlier this month, he appealed to drug dealers and richer countries to “suspend bilateral contracts,” saying they hurt a DA-backed effort to expand reach. Tedros did not exclude any countries or companies.
A report released in early December by the Population Vaccine Federation warned that up to 90 percent of the population in dozens of poor countries will miss the coronavirus vaccine.
In their report, the alliance said that rich countries have given enough doses to vaccinate their total numbers nearly three times, leaving 67 poor countries with only one in 10 people.