New Delhi : The World Health Organization has called on countries for months to come together to ensure a fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines among rich and poor nations. But when requests didn’t work, it has started losing its temper.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO said that the drug manufacturers had prioritized regulatory approval in rich countries, where profits are highest, rather than submitting full dossiers to get the greenlight from the global health body. He said that could delay distribution through Covax, a WHO-backed initiative that aims to supply vaccines to poorer countries.
Tedros further said that the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure. Even as they speak the language of equitable access, some countries and companies continue to prioritize bilateral deals — going around Covax, driving up prices and attempting to jump to the front of the queue. This is wrong.”
The WHO’s struggles have opened the door for China to start ramping up its vaccine diplomacy, with foreign minister Wang Yi pledging last week to hand out more than a million doses during a swing through Southeast Asia. It amounted to a geopolitical win just before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, who has vowed to put the US back in the WHO following Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the organization last year.
