Although the first vaccines have now been delivered in West Africa, according to correspondent Elles van Gelder, the Covax program is facing major challenges. This is because rich countries on the continent have started to buy vaccines themselves, outside of Covax.
“Initially, the idea of the initiative was that rich countries would also purchase their vaccines through Covax. By working together globally you could really create equal access and the whole world would also stand strong towards the pharmaceutical companies. Rich countries. “They did join Covax, but didn’t want to rely on it alone, and at the same time signed their own bilateral contracts. They still help poorer countries with their donations but at the same time compete with Covax for vaccines, and win that race.”
Yet UNICEF representative Marc Vincent continues to believe in the vaccination program. “The original plan was that vaccines would be available to both rich and poor countries. The fact that the first shipments have now also been sent to poorer countries shows that the collaboration and thus the platform is working.” He does say that he would like more money to be collected so that all countries can benefit from it.
Worldwide importance
While Western countries have started to buy up vaccines themselves, it is certainly in their interest that people in poorer countries are vaccinated. Van Gelder: “Scientists warn that new mutations can arise in those poor countries, which can also spread in Western countries. They should therefore not only help low-income countries from a moral point of view.”
There is therefore a lot of discussion about helping poor countries. The United Kingdom says it will give the vaccines they have left to Covax, but only after they have vaccinated their own population. Other leaders believe that poorer countries should wait too long this way.
“Norway has said that they will share vaccines with poor countries. Not when they are ‘ready’ at home, but in parallel with vaccinating the population of Norway. And French President Macron has proposed that rich countries have 3 to 5 percent of the vaccines. they should immediately share in order to achieve a fairer distribution, “says Van Gelder. “It remains to be seen whether that will happen.”
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