Most of the supply of the Covid-19 vaccine was bought by rich countries
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON – A new report found that as many as 90 percent of the population in dozens of poor countries will not get the Covid-19 virus vaccine next year. This happens because most of the supplies have been taken by rich countries.
The Alliance for the Vaccine Society says rich countries have collected enough doses to vaccinate their populations nearly tripling. That means, 67 poor countries can only vaccinate one in 10 of their citizens.
Reporting from Aljazirah, five of the 67 poor countries have reported 1.5 million Covid-19 cases. In contrast, rich countries, which only have 14 percent of the world’s population, have purchased 53 percent of the current vaccine stock. That country tincluding the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Australia, Hong Kong, Macau, New Zealand, Israel, and Kuwait.
“Vaccine stockpiling could undermine global efforts to ensure that everyone, everywhere can be protected from Covid-19,” said Amnesty International’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, Steve Cockburn.
“Rich countries have clear human rights obligations, not just to refrain from actions that could impair access to vaccines elsewhere. But also to cooperate and provide assistance to countries that need it. “
According to Oxfam, Canada has purchased enough doses to vaccinate its population five times. South Korea, on the other hand, has purchased enough vaccines for 88 percent of its population.
Meanwhile, the Philippines, which is considered a developing country, has so far received only 2.6 million doses for delivery next year. It only includes 1.3 million people out of a total population of over 100 million.
“No one should be blocked from getting a life-saving vaccine, because of the country they live in or the amount of money they have in their pockets,” said Oxfam’s Head of Health Policy, Anna Marriott.
“Unless there are dramatic changes, billions of people around the world will not receive a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19 for years to come.”
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