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WHO Demands More Vaccines To Poor Nations

by Stefan Bos, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) says severe coronavirus vaccine shortages in scores of impoverished nations undermines its global coronavirus jabs plan.

The WHO head is furious about the “shocking imbalance” in global COVID-19 vaccinations. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus said that while one in four people in rich countries received a vaccine, only one in 500 people in poorer nations got a dose.

He complains that most available vaccines are sent to wealthy nations. “More than 700 million vaccine doses have been administered globally,” he told reporters. “But over 87 percent have gone to high income or upper-middle-income countries. While low-income countries have received just 0.2 percent,” he added.

The vaccine alliance GAVI revealed that in at least 60 countries, the coronavirus vaccination program may be stalled after the first shots have been administered. The expected delivery of second doses in the 12-week window currently recommended is in doubt, especially in the world’s poorest nations.

That’s because nearly all deliveries through the global program intended to help them are blocked until as late as June. The vaccine shortage stems mainly from India’s decision to stop exporting vaccines from its Serum Institute factory, as it is facing scarcity of its own.

India produces the overwhelming majority of the AstraZeneca doses. That vaccine is used by COVAX, a global initiative providing coronavirus jabs to less fortunate countries.

Another problem is that COVAX will only ship vaccines cleared by the World Health Organization. The WHO admitted that a link between an AstraZeneca shot and rare blood clots also complicated deliveries. It said that it wants to speed up reviewing additional production from China and Russia.

The European Union has not approved Chinese and Russian vaccines to halt the coronavirus pandemic. But hard-hit EU nation Hungary is already using them.