Vaccine inequity

It has become a challenge for poorer countries to protect populations from the pandemic

Even as the world scrambles to stave off the still marauding coronavirus, the question of haves and have-nots is popping up when it comes to receiving the medical remedy to the plague. Vaccine inequity is becoming a challenge as poorer countries are left behind in the race to protect populations from the pandemic through anti-Covid shots.

This fact was truthfully highlighted by UN secretary general. Addressing a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Antonio Guterres sharply criticised the “wildly uneven and unfair” distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, pointing out that just 10 countries have administered 75% of all vaccinations. What is more troubling is the fact that 130 countries have not received a single dose of vaccine. At this critical moment, vaccine equity is the biggest moral test before the global community, as also insisted by Guterres who called for an urgent Global Vaccination Plan to bring together those with the power to ensure fair vaccine distribution — scientists, vaccine producers and those who can fund the effort — to ensure all people in every nation get inoculated as soon as possible.

The clarion call from the UN chief comes despite a concerted effort being made at the global stage to unite people and organisations under the banner of vaccine equity. The initiative, called Covax, is backed by 190 countries and economies. It is the global mechanism to deliver vaccines to the world. However, while the world leaders are making new commitments to effectively end this pandemic by sharing doses and increasing funds to Covax, the gaps in the supply of Covid shots remain as yawning as ever. This fact is amply mirrored by the statistics shared by Guterres. There is an urgent need for countries to share doses and technology, scale up manufacturing, and ensure there is a sustainable supply of vaccines.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2021.

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