Covid-19 vax: WHO warns of 'catastrophic moral failure'


Geneva, Jan 19 (IANS): The world faces a "catastrophic moral failure" because of unequal Covid-19 vaccine policies, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was not fair for younger, healthy people in richer nations to get injections before vulnerable people in poorer states, the BBC reported.

He said over 39 million vaccine doses had been given in 49 richer states - but one poor nation had only 25 doses.

Meanwhile, both the WHO and China were criticised for their Covid response.

An independent panel commissioned by the WHO said the UN public health body should have declared an international emergency earlier, and also rapped China for not taking public health measures sooner.

So far, China, India, Russia, the UK and the US have all developed Covid vaccines, with others being made by multinational teams - like the American-German Pfizer vaccine.

Almost all of these nations have prioritised distribution to their own populations.

Speaking at a WHO executive board session on Monday, Tedros said: "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."

Tedros said a "me-first" approach would be self-defeating because it would push up prices and encourage hoarding.

"Ultimately, these actions will only prolong the pandemic, the restrictions needed to contain it, and human and economic suffering," he added.

The WHO head called for a full commitment to the global vaccine-sharing scheme Covax, which is due to start rolling out next month.

"My challenge to all member states is to ensure that by the time World Health Day arrives on April 7, Covid-19 vaccines are being administered in every country, as a symbol of hope for overcoming both the pandemic and the inequalities that lie at the root of so many global health challenges," Tedros said.

So far, more than 180 countries have signed up to the Covax initiative, which is supported by the WHO and a group of international vaccine advocacy groups. Its aim is to unite countries into one bloc so they have more power to negotiate with drug companies.

Ninety-two countries - all of them low or middle-income - will have their vaccines paid for by a fund sponsored by donors.

"We have secured two billion doses from five producers, with options of more than one billion more doses, and we aim to start deliveries in February," Tedros said.

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • vishnu bhat, bangalore

    Tue, Jan 19 2021

    yes, a moral failure. But the world, particularly the 'haves', has always been selfish. If there is a lesson it teaches us, it is to look after ourself because no one else will be bothered to, they have their own concerns.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • r.d.b, udupi

    Tue, Jan 19 2021

    Indian vaccine is a jhumla by Mr Feku

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • John, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 19 2021

    "Look, there are also new diseases created by man, as they want to reduce humanity [i.e. the human population], they want to reduce it by all sorts of means, at any cost, to the detriment of the innocent. Man is dominated by his thirst for power, for money and for idols of all kinds. He has become worse than the wild beasts." —March 1, 2011.

    Above prophecy reference at
    https://www.countdowntothekingdom.com/a-cold-warning/

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • John, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 19 2021

    WHO chief Comic / real life hero?
    2012 Comic "Infected" and coronavirus pandemic look similar / a coincidence ?

    Following are the excerpts from news on Eu-funded comic 'Infected' told the story of a global pandemic back in 2012 at news portal express.co.uk by Joe Barnes, Brussels Correspondent dated May 14, 2020

    "The European Commission-funded comic book “Infected” foresaw a worldwide lockdown enforced after B1049 disease leaked out of a Chinese testing facility that was carrying out experiments on deadly pathogens. Similar to the coronavirus pandemic, the fictional virus was transmitted from animals to humans before rapidly spreading across the globe through international travel and trade links. The publication, released in 2012, tells the story of how the EU played a leading role in the international effort to bring the outbreak under control."
    ...
    "In another parallel to the real-life pandemic, their efforts to save the day were, however, almost thwarted by a crooked official who wants to cover up the leak from the laboratory."

    "He uses the disease to seize control of democracy by implementing draconian social distancing rules and engineering phoney vaccines."
    ...
    "Eurocrats wanted to inform readers about the dangers of a potential pandemic – including Ebola and SARS – and how the EU would respond."

    “While the story may be fictional, it is nevertheless intertwined with some factual information,” the publication explained.

    "An accompanying factsheet explains the need for “pandemic readiness”, “cross-sectoral cooperation” and management of the “interactions between animals, humans and their diverse environments”.

    "It even calls for “better surveillance” in diseases transmitted between animals and humans, and even limit population sizes to prevent a future outbreak."
    ...

    Ref:

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1282186/EU-coronavirus-news-EU-fund-comic-Infected-global-pandemic-warning-latest-update

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