Jan. 17, 2022
A shipment of 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccines to Rwanda included the billionth dose supplied via COVAX, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said in a statement.
WHO noted that together with its partners, COVAX is leading the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history, with deliveries to 144 countries to date.
“But the work that has gone into this milestone is only a reminder of the work that remains. As of 13th January 2022, out of 194 Member States, 36 WHO Member States have vaccinated less than 10% of their population, and 88 less than 40%”.
“COVAX’s ambition was compromised by hoarding/stockpiling in rich countries, catastrophic outbreaks leading to borders and supply being locked, and a lack of sharing of licenses, technology and know how by pharmaceutical companies meant manufacturing capacity went unused”.
With updated vaccines in the pipeline, WHO added that now is the moment for all citizens to demand that governments and pharmaceutical companies share health tools globally and bring an end to the death and destruction cycles of this pandemic, limit new variants and drive a global economic recovery.
