poor countries do not have sufficient vaccine stocks

On Monday, a representative of the World Health Organization said that more than half of the poor countries that receive COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX program do not have sufficient reserves to continue vaccination.

“I would say of the 80 Market Engagement (AMC) countries that are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines under the Advance Purchase Commitment – ed.) At least more than half do not have enough vaccines to continue current vaccines “Said the WHO. Senior Advisor Bruce Aylward.

He pointed to previous Covax commitments by donor countries for advance purchase of vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, and said the actual share was probably “much higher.” He added that some of them are completely gone.

The shortage, caused in part by production delays and supply disruptions in India, has emerged with an increase in infections and deaths in Africa as part of the third wave of coronavirus infections.

In mid-June, G7 leaders agreed to donate more than 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the poorest countries through the COVAX program or directly, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the press conference on Sunday. closing of the summit.

Previously, BBC News and Sky News, citing an unpublished summit statement, said it contained a record number saying leaders had pledged to donate at least 840 million doses during the year.

Even before the G7 summit, the United States announced that it would buy 500 million doses of the vaccine from Pfizer and give them to the poorest countries, and the United Kingdom announced that it would donate at least 100 million doses of its surplus.

Of the total 350 million German doses of vaccines, there will also be 30 million doses that the Germans originally ordered for themselves but later decided to pass on to others.

“These donations will increase over time,” Merkel told a news conference at the end of the G7 summit in Carbis Bay in Cornwall. He pointed to the supply problems facing vaccine manufacturers.

He stressed that it is currently difficult to make promises in this area because, for example, due to reductions at manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, not all required quantities of vaccines have been delivered.

“But if we have a surplus, we will transfer it immediately,” Merkel said, referring in particular to the fourth quarter, when companies will have to provide more vaccines than required in the vaccination campaign for citizens in Germany.

Most of the German contribution goes through the Covax immunization program. Germany is the second largest donor country in that country. Covax is using the money to fund vaccine production and build manufacturing facilities. Merkel said the goal is to ensure that everyone in the world has access to vaccines.

The German chancellor said that the Group of Seven “adopted a common position that the epidemic should only be defeated on a global level. Vaccines are the way out of the epidemic ”. Merkel said that the production of the vaccine should take place not only in Europe or Asia, but also, for example, in Africa.

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