In Malawi, nurse Lizzie Mwale smiles big. She finally has vaccines to put. Only three percent of the inhabitants of the poor country are fully vaccinated. Mwale is relieved that the number of vaccines is increasing, but deliveries are uncertain.
– We never know if we will get enough vaccines to set the second dose within twelve weeks. It creates mistrust of the health system, says the nurse, before she continues the long-awaited vaccination.
– The skew distributions cost lives
Malawi is among the countries suffering from the skewed distribution of vaccines. While very many rich countries offers refreshment doses to everyone, also for healthy people, many poor countries are just getting started with the vaccination.
“The unfair distribution of vaccines has undoubtedly cost many lives,” said WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.