Africa Left Scrambling as Rich Countries Hoard COVID-19 Vaccines:
Africa Left Scrambling as Rich Countries Hoard COVID-19 Vaccines for months. Researchers have been warning that production constraints and hoarding could restrict supplies of Covid-19 vaccines. This could mean not getting access to the vaccines for most of Africa for up to a year after approval. This is becoming more likely, with the EU recently joining the scramble for a potential Covid-19 vaccine and obtaining 300 million doses.
Bilateral agreements with Covid-19 vaccine. Developers have already signed by many affluent countries to obtain vaccines for their residents. 100 million doses of a possible vaccine have been secured by the US and 90 million doses by the UK. Though Brazil has a contract for 100 million doses. Its vaccines are being produced by the nation and other top emerging economies such as India, China, and Russia. There is no primary vaccine production currently in Africa, although a Covid-19 vaccine trial is going on in South Africa.
Several pharmaceutical companies have agreed to expand their vaccine:
Many stakeholders, including the WHO, have called for equal access to Africa’s potential Covid-19 vaccine. African countries all too frequently end up at the bottom of the line for emerging technology, including vaccines. These life-saving goods, not just those who can afford to pay, must be open to all,’ says Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
While several pharmaceutical companies have agreed to expand their vaccine production ability and mass-produce. The Covid-19 vaccine in advance with governments and private funders, not all vaccine candidates will be effective. There are currently around 10 Covid-19 vaccines in clinical trials, but a report indicates that the probability of clinical trial success for an industry-sponsored vaccine program is 39.6%.
The COVAX Facility, a platform for countries to pool purchasing power and jointly obtain multiple vaccines, offers an incentive for early access to vaccines in African countries. Under this facility, 300 million doses of possible vaccine, a comparatively small number, have been secured. However, only Botswana, Mauritius, and Seychelles in Africa have shown public interest in buying vaccines with their funds through the facility.
