COVID-19: Rich countries should donate at least 1 billion vaccine doses, says WHO panel

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, erstwhile President of Liberia, and Helen Clark, erstwhile Prime Minister of New Zealand, expressed heavy interest implicit the dilatory gait of vaccine redistribution from high-income to low-income countries.

The 2 erstwhile leaders served arsenic co-chairs of the Independent Panel connected Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR), launched by WHO successful July 2020. Its last study was published successful May.

A captious step

“The Independent Panel study recommended that high-income countries guarantee that astatine slightest 1 cardinal doses of vaccines disposable to them were redistributed to 92 debased and middle-income countries by 1 September, and a further 1 cardinal doses by mid-2022”, they declared.  

“Ensuring that each those astir the satellite astir susceptible to the interaction of the virus, including healthcare workers, older radical and those with important comorbidities, tin beryllium vaccinated rapidly is simply a captious measurement towards curbing the pandemic.”

Show solidarity

To date, the planetary solidarity inaugural COVAX has shipped 99 cardinal donated doses, they said.  While 92 countries person received immoderate 89 cardinal vaccines, this is acold abbreviated of the 1 cardinal called for successful the report.

“High-income countries person ordered implicit doubly arsenic galore doses arsenic are needed for their populations. Now is the clip to amusement solidarity with those who person not yet been capable to vaccinate their frontline wellness workers and astir susceptible populations,” the erstwhile leaders stated.

“Reaching the extremity of redistributing 1 cardinal doses by 1 September would beryllium a captious measurement successful protecting the 5 cardinal radical aged 15 and implicit who unrecorded successful low- and middle-income countries. The 600 cardinal doses which person already been pledged present request to beryllium delivered with urgency”, they added.

Boost production

Additionally, accelerated enactment is needed to measurement up vaccine accumulation successful low- and middle-income countries.

“Manufacturing capableness has to beryllium accrued and cognition and exertion shared successful bid to standard up accumulation quickly,” the 2 experts recommended. “This pandemic has shown the planetary risks of locating the know-how and manufacturing facilities successful conscionable a fistful of countries.”

The co-chairs person besides welcomed the constitution of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exertion hub successful South Africa, adding that much specified announcements are needed.

“Low and middle-income countries indispensable beryllium capable to nutrient much of their ain vaccines and thereby assistance summation successful wide the magnitude of vaccine disposable to the world”, they said.