COVID-19: WHO deplores 95% of COVID-19 vaccine doses limited to 10 countries

Reiterating its call for global immunization, World Health Organization (WHO), on January 14, asserted that 95 per cent of vaccine doses ministered so far have been limited to only 10 countries. In a statement later, European branch of health ncy also listed out top benefactors naming US, UK, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Russia, Germany, Spain and Cana as recipients of most doses. WHO has been quite vocal about its aim to vaccinate poor and vulnerable populations across nations and has staunchly opposed “vaccine nationalism.”

'Can't afford to leave anyone' 

Speaking at a virtual Press Briefing, Hans Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe said that organization cant simply “afford” to leave any country, any community behind. He ded that WHO was trying to get vaccine to every country but, "it needs every country capable of contributing, donating and supporting equitable access and deployment of vaccines, to do so." As of w, over 32 million doses of different coronavirus vaccines have been ministered across world. However, only 31 out of 53 countries have initiated ir iculation programmes in European and Central Asian region.

"Ninety-five per cent of 23.5 million doses of vaccines ministered globally have been ministered in 10 countries. To date, 31 countries in WHO European Region have started rolling out vaccination campaigns. Given limited supply of vaccines, however, and increasing burden on our health systems, prioritization of vaccination of our health workforce and most at-risk in our communities is vital," he said in a statement. 

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WHO has launched COVAX to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines. COVAX is one of three pillars of Access to COVID-19 tools (ACT) Accelerator which aims at providing invative and equitable access to COVID-19 diagstics, treatment and vaccine. Previously,  director-general of WHO urged nations to contribute to COVAX initiative which aims to distribute vaccines to underdeveloped and developing nations by early 2021. Recently, WHO IVB Director, Kate O'Brien and Deputy Executive Director of ICDDR, Alejandro Cravioto, said that poorest nations across world can expect ir vaccines between end of January and middle of February. 

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