[the_ad_placement id=”adsense-in-feed”]
WHO warns the challenge will be to prevent “vaccine nationalism”
Geneva: Stressing that the response to the COVID-19 pandemic “has to be collective”, the World Health Organisation on Wednesday warned that once the vaccine was developed successfully, the challenge would be to prevent “vaccine nationalism”.
The WHO pointed out that since May, it had been in extensive consultations to develop a new framework to guide fair and equitable access to diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, for COVID-19 across all countries. As new diagnostics, medicines and vaccines come through the pipeline, and once a successful vaccine is identified, the WHO hoped that its strategic advisory group would be able to provide recommendations for their appropriate and fair use.
According to WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , the allocation of vaccines is proposed to be rolled out in two phases — In phase 1, doses will be allocated proportionally to all participating countries simultaneously to reduce overall risk; in phase 2, consideration will be given to countries’ in relation to threat and vulnerability.
[the_ad_placement id=”content-placement-after-3rd-paragraph”]
Dr. Ghebreyesus told media persons here today that front line workers in health and social care settings were prioritised as they were essential to treat and protect the population and come in close contact with high-mortality risk groups.
Initial data has shown that adults over 65 years old and those with certain comorbidities are at the highest risk of dying from COVID-19. For most countries, a phase 1 allocation that builds up to 20 percent of the population would cover most of the at-risk groups. “If we don’t protect these highest risk people from the virus everywhere and at the same time, we can’t stabilise health systems and rebuild the global economy. This is what the first crucial phase of the vaccine allocation mechanism aims to do,” Dr.Ghebreyesus said.
Giving illustrations of how the world was so interconnected, the Director-General said that as a small example, vaccine developed in one country might need to be filled in vials with stoppers that were produced in another, using materials for the high-grade glass that was only available from yet another country.
“We will need to quickly manufacture billions of doses to reach all those who need the vaccine, which means hundreds of millions of glass vials and ways to transport them effectively. All this means, elite planning at the highest levels is needed right now to prepare to vaccinate and treat the world as new technologies come down the pipeline,” he said. He added: “As we accelerate the science, solidarity is needed to provide a joint solution to the pandemic.”
The Director-General informed that on Wednesday he had sent a letter to every Member State encouraging them to join the COVAX Global Vaccines Facility, which the WHO considers acritical mechanism for joint procurement and pooling risk across multiple vaccines. “Like an orchestra, we need all instruments to be played in harmony to create music that everyone enjoys. One or two instruments playing by themselves just won’t suffice when the world is waiting and listening intently. We will work to bring the band together, to promote science, solutions and solidarity because we believe to our core that we do it best, when we do it together, he said.
– globalbihari bureau
[the_ad_placement id=”sidebar-feed”]
