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WHO Blames Rich Countries for Hampering Access to Vaccines

  • The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus referred Monday to the unequal distribution of vaccines against Covid 19 and efforts by rich countries to hamper distribution to poorer countries.

    The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus referred Monday to the unequal distribution of vaccines against Covid 19 and efforts by rich countries to hamper distribution to poorer countries. | Photo: EFE/EPA

Published 22 February 2021
Opinion

The WHO director denounced that "some countries interfere in the vaccine distribution system" against Covid-19.

The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, blamed on Monday, during a press conference at the international organization's headquarters, "some rich countries" for interfering in the equitable distribution of vaccines against Covid-19.

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"Some rich countries interfere in the distribution system of anti-Covid-19 vaccines to obtain additional doses of the product," the senior official stated, adding that this occurrence leads to obtaining a lower number of doses allocated to the Covax equitable distribution mechanism. 

"Some rich countries are currently approaching manufacturers to secure access to additional doses of vaccines," the WHO senior official warned.  It is worth noting that a few days ago, the WHO denounced that three-quarters of the first doses of vaccines administered in the world are concentrated in only ten countries.

In this regard, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus exemplified countries in Europe and the United States, territories where they started vaccination campaigns against Covid-19 at the end of 2020. "About 100 million people have managed to receive the injections," he said. 

Ghebreyesus stressed that Covax would guarantee vaccine administrations for at least 20 percent of the signatory countries' population. According to its precepts, the initiative offers a diversified and actively managed portfolio of vaccines, and their delivery should be as soon as they become available.

Simultaneously, Dr. Tedros explained that vaccines could only be delivered to member countries of this initiative if rich nations cooperate and respect contracts, referring to the United States and the European Union's commitments to increase their contribution to Covax significantly.

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