Milan, 8 Sept. (beraking latest news Salute) – “The global picture of access to Covid-19 vaccines is unacceptable: only 20% of people in low-middle-income countries received a first dose of the vaccine, compared to 80% in income countries medium-high “. This was denounced in a joint note by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Covax, an initiative launched a year ago to promote global immunization against the pandemic coronavirus, but whose action “continues to be hindered” by factors such as export bans , priority bilateral agreements between companies and states, production problems by some key producers and delays in the regulatory process.
As part of Covax, the note points out, “more than 10 billion dollars have been raised, legally binding commitments made for a maximum of 4.5 billion doses of vaccine, 240 million doses delivered to 139 countries in 6 months”. Progress defined as “significant” and yet not sufficient also because, while the global access program was taking its first steps, “a large part of the first global offer” of vaccines “had already been purchased by rich nations”.
According to the forecasts of the latest ‘Supply Forecast’, therefore, “in the most probable scenario, and in the absence of urgent action by producers and high-coverage countries with a view to giving priority to Covax”, the promoters of the initiative expect to “have access to 1.425 billion doses of the vaccine in 2021, of which approximately 1.2 billion will be available to low-income economies participating in the Covax Advance Market Commitment (Amc). note – it is sufficient to protect 20% of the population, or 40% of adults, in all 92 AMC economies except India. Over 200 million doses will be allocated to self-financed participants. ” Instead “Covax’s key milestone, 2 billion doses released for delivery, should now be reached” according to this latest forecast “in the first quarter of 2022”.
Covax and its partners call on donors and manufacturers to “renew support” for the program and “prevent further delays in equitable access” to Covid-19 vaccines around the world by ensuring “deliveries to Covax in accordance with commitments” and ” transparency on “release” timing to allow countries to plan “vaccinations in advance”.
The joint WHO-Covax note also asks countries that, while awaiting vaccination doses from producers, find themselves in front of Covax, but have already reached high coverage, to “give their place to Covax so that its participants can access vaccines already guaranteed by supply contracts and deliver them where they are most needed “. Finally, the appeal is to “expand, accelerate and systematize the donations of doses by countries that are already well advanced in their vaccination programs”.
“While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to claim victims, destroy livelihoods and hinder economic recovery – conclude WHO and Covax – we continue to emphasize that no one is safe until everyone is safe. There is only one way to end the pandemic and prevent the emergence of new and nastier variants “of Sars-CoV-2,” and is to work together. ”