COVAX has a shortfall of 190 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, and the few manufacturers that have reached agreements with the facility will only deliver later in the year or even in 2022, World Health Organization (WHO) Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday. “Pfizer has committed to providing 40 million doses of vaccines to […] Continue reading ->
IBADAN – A deal to supply 400 million doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to African countries hangs in the balance as most countries are reluctant to make upfront deposits and borrow money to get the supplies. With a looming deadline to express interest and complete the funding applications, Africa CDC John Nkengasong on […] Continue reading ->
In preparation for the next pandemic, the COVAX global vaccine facility “needs a pot of money, where they can be early movers” in competing for, and securing, vaccine doses. That could help scenarios like the ones seen recently, in which rich countries cornered the market on the first available COVID-19 vaccines, leading to severe shortages […] Continue reading ->
PUNE: India’s second wave is devastating the country’s rural areas where health infrastructure is rickety and a lack of trained healthcare workers, government support and access to healthcare is likely to worsen the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health experts believe the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths are vastly underreported and that strict […] Continue reading ->
Being vaccinated against COVID-19 this week was a “bittersweet” moment, reflecting both a “triumph of science” and a “gross distortion” in vaccine access, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyusus told the body’s media briefing on Friday. Thanking health workers at the Geneva Emergency Hospital for vaccinating him on Wednesday, Dr Tedros […] Continue reading ->
Italy is pushing for the Vatican – a steadfast opponent of sexual and reproductive health rights – to have an enhanced role and greater privileges at the WHO member state meetings of the World Health Assembly and its governing Executive Board, according to a copy of a draft resolution, seen by openDemocracy. A handful of […] Continue reading ->
Overcrowding in refugee camps, mistrust of authorities including vaccination registration processes, and lack of access to vaccines are some of the most pressing problems preventing migrants, refugees and other “uprooted people” from getting COVID-19 vaccines. A diverse, but also common set of issues are faced in refugee camps, informal settlements that house an estimated 79.5 […] Continue reading ->
The draft of a landmark resolution to establish a global “Pandemic Treaty” will be put to World Health Organization (WHO) member states this week in preparation for the World Health Assembly beginning 24 May, Jaouad Mahjour, WHO Assistant Director-General Emergency Preparedness, told a panel in Geneva Monday. The proposal for the Pandemic Treaty – […] Continue reading ->
Almost seven million people are estimated to have died of COVID-19 globally based on “excess mortality” statistics, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which announced on Friday that it would now be using these statistics rather than official death rates. This “major change in how we think about the number of […] Continue reading ->
World Trade Organization’s (WTO) director general Ngozi Onkonjo-Iweala on Thursday hailed the United States government’s decision to support the suspension of intellectual property rules on COVID-19 vaccines – while also emphasising the urgency of even more immediate actions to increase vaccine supplies to lower-income countries. In a statement after a two-day closed-door WTO General […] Continue reading ->