Developed nations hijacking COVID-19 vaccines, scientists warn

Developed nations are curtailing essential supply of COVID-19 vaccines to African nations, scientists have warned.

They say the continent is receiving less than 2% of the total 773 million worldwide-administered doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

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A recent report published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) estimates that the US has secured 800 million doses of more than six vaccines in development, and it could buy one billion more.

The UK has bought 340 million doses, about five times more for every citizen.

“Nearly 4 million people are most at-risk in Kenya – but only one million vaccine doses are currently available,” said Samuel Kinyanjui, country director of Aids Healthcare Foundation, Kenya at press conference by African researchers and scientists fronting the “Vaccinate Our World” campaign.

A majority of African countries depend on COVAX for access to vaccines.

COVAS is a programme by the World Health Organisation meant to ensure poor countries have access.

Hoarding of vaccines by Serum Institute of India currently Africa in a bind, the campaign warned on Tuesday.

The G7 has committed access to 870 million additional doses of vaccines to end the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also supports COVAX as an apt route to provide vaccines for low-income countries.

“COVAX was well-intentioned, but with wealthy countries buying up enough vaccines to inoculate their citizens as much as five times over, it’s clear that it’s too little, too late,” said Penninah Lutung,  the Africa Bureau Chief of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

“We must learn from our battle against HIV that we cannot wait for years to get lifesaving vaccines and medicines to people who need them most.

“It’s time that heads of government, global public health organizations, and pharmaceutical companies do all that’s necessary to ‘Vaccinate Our World’ now.”

At the virtual event, Moreni Masanzu, regional chairperson of Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV, reiterated that the global COVID-19 vaccination effort must secure $100 billion from G20 countries in order to produce and provide seven billion vaccine doses worldwide within one year.

“In addition to securing adequate funding, vaccine production must be increased worldwide, which requires access to COVID-19 vaccine patents for the rapid scale-up of production,” AHF South Africa Country Program Director Nduduzo Dube added.

The joint team of scientists and researchers asserted that information sharing and cooperation between nations must also be significantly increased—including removing self-imposed restrictions on vaccine exports for those countries with a surplus.

They urged leaders from the G20 and global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to also VOW to step up their contributions immediately.

Dr. Dube further cautioned that “If one nation has COVID-19 and no access to vaccines, all countries are in danger.”