- WHO has expressed concerns about the supply shortages and delays in the planned deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine in Africa.
- According to WHO, Africa has reported 4.3 million cases of COVID-19 with 114,000 deaths.
WHO has expressed concerns about the supply shortages and delays in the planned deliveries of the COVID-19 vaccine in Africa. According to WHO, Africa has reported 4.3 million cases of COVID-19 with 114,000 deaths.
A few African countries like Morocco, Ghana, Rwanda and Angola has managed to vaccinate significant proportion of their population. Morocco has purchased 8.7 million doses of vaccine and leads in administering vaccination of its population than any other African country. Countries such as Benin, Comoros, Liberia, Sierra Leone and South Sudan have faced delays due to challenges like lack of funding, planning and human resource shortages.
WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti stated that Africa has administered only two percent of the more than 600 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine dispensed globally. More than one billion Africans still have not been able to avail the vaccination yet.
The temporary ban of exports of the vaccine by India which is hit by a severe second wave of COVID 19 has also adversely affected the supply. Another setback to the AstraZeneca vaccine is the reports of a possible link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and unusual blood clots with low platelets.
She added that the unequal distribution of the lifesaving drug is a matter of grave concern. To correct the imbalance she urged wealthy countries to share their surplus supplies of vaccine with other, poorer countries. Such a step will minimize the emergence of further variants of the coronavirus and show solidarity in defeating the Pandemic.
