CNN quoted this information from a compilation of 67 low-income countries by the People’s Vaccine Coalition, a collaborative framework of many organizations that advocates for equitable, low-cost access to vaccines.
Anna Marriott – Health Policy Manager of the Oxfam Charity Coalition said: “The People’s Vaccine Coalition of which Oxfam is also a member has reviewed all outstanding global vaccine purchases. Without immediate action, 9 out of 10 people in poor countries will have to wait years to get the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The rich countries have ordered three times as many vaccines as they need to vaccinate their entire population, the report said. Clearly, the competition to buy vaccines between rich and poor countries is disproportionate.
“The problem can only be solved if we fix the supply shortage. In response to a global pandemic, pharmaceutical companies need to share and transfer knowledge, so that more smaller manufacturers can participate in vaccine production, “said Anna Marriott.
Currently, poor countries still rely on the COVAX vaccine sharing initiative proposed by the World Health Organization. However, the latest figures show that COVAX has ordered only about 250 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, far below what is needed to supply billions of people in low-income countries.