As of the 3rd of May 2021, 1.16 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered worldwide. 36.1% of the vaccine was administered among the 27 wealthiest countries globally, which account for only 10.5% of the global population. Within the same period, Africa, which accounts for 17.6% of the global population, had administered vaccines to less than 2% of its people.
Africa suffers from the centralised worldwide production and distribution imbalance, as its dependence on Western manufacturers exposes it to the consequences of vaccine nationalism and procurement constraints. Africa produces only 1% of the vaccines used in Africa. This lack of vaccine manufacturing capacity, together with the continent’s faulty health infrastructure, indicates that vaccines will likely be a significant factor in disease control even beyond COVID-19….
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