WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. [Source: WHO]
The World Health Organization says the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure due to the inequality in the availability of COVID-19 vaccines.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says the disparity is becoming more evident in recent time.
He says more than 39 million doses of vaccine have now been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries, but just 25 doses have been given in one lowest-income country.
“I need to be blunt, the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure – and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries.”
Ghebreyesus says it’s not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries.
“Even as they speak the language of equitable access, some countries and companies continue to prioritize bilateral deals, going around COVAX, driving up prices and attempting to jump to the front of the queue. This is wrong.”
WHO says 44 bilateral deals were signed last year, and at least 12 have already been signed this year for the vaccines.
