Global rollout of Covid-19 vaccine largest in history but stark inequities in terms of access remain: WHO chief

Tedros, though, said that despite this achievement, starking inequities in terms of access to Covid-19 vaccines remained. These inequities are due partly to the fact that globally, vaccine production is too concentrated.

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WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Fabrice Coffrini/Pool via Reuters/File)

The global rollout of more than 12 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses is the largest and fastest in history with an estimated 60 per cent dose produced by manufacturers from developing countries, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation (WHO), said in a video message that was relayed at the inaugural session of the 23rd annual general meeting of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) in Pune.

Tedros, though, said that despite this achievement, starking inequities in terms of access to Covid-19 vaccines remained. These inequities are due partly to the fact that globally, vaccine production is too concentrated. “To address this, WHO and our partners have established the mRNA Tech Transfer hub in South Africa to facilitate the knowhow in low and middle-income countries,” he said.

Key topics at the meeting co-hosted by Serum Institute of India (SII) included commemoration of unprecedented global collaboration during the pandemic, global equity and timely access of vaccines, and future pandemic-preparedness and response.

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DCVMN is an international alliance of manufacturers from developing countries, firmly engaged in innovation, research, development, manufacturing, and supply of high-quality vaccines to 170 countries striving to enable equitable access to vaccines.

In another video message relayed at the meeting, Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), said, “In the middle of one of the gravest infectious disease crises in history, DCVMN has lived up to its objective of providing a consistent and sustainable supply of quality vaccines at affordable price.”

Dr Ayoade Alakija, WHO Special Envoy for the ACT–Accelerator (Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator – a G20 initiative), also spoke on the occasion.

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