The World Health Organization reiterated its call for greater equity in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in order for the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic to be more effective.
The W.H.O. made the call as it announced that 22 African countries had received 14 million vaccine doses in two weeks with “many more to come”.
“COVAX can only reach 20% of the African population by 2021. More needs to be done for #VaccinEquity because no one is safe until everyone is safe,” the W.H.O. tweeted.
Amid concerns that developing countries, especially in Africa, would be left behind in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution, a global pooled procurement mechanism, the COVAX facility, co-led by the W.H.O., CEPI and Gavi, the vaccine alliance, was formed.
Though the COVAX initiative was created to ensure low- and middle-income countries receive COVID-19 vaccines, it has faced delays and limited supply. These delays have forced other African countries to seek more doses elsewhere, including via bilateral deals which may be unfavorable.
In late February, Ghana became the first country outside India to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses shipped via the COVAX Facility when 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines made by the Serum Institute of India were delivered in Accra.
A number of African countries have since received vaccines through the facility among them Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Rwanda, Cape Verde and Angola.
Vaccination campaigns have also kicked off in a number of countries with Ghana leading the way at the beginning of March.
Most countries across the continent will have vaccination programs underway by end of the month, according to W.H.O. regional Director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Moeti.
Africa has reported a total of more than 3.9 million confirmed cases and more than 106,000 deaths, according to figures from the W.H.O.
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