Global immunisation by 2022 can only have reasonable prospect: experts

DUBAI: The world’s leading healthcare experts have said that global immunisation by 2022 can only be a “reasonable prospect if there is fair vaccine distribution in the world.” The key stakeholders delivered an impassioned plea for an equitable solution to the global vaccination against Covid-19 in a virtual session “Will the Earth’s Population be Vaccinated by 2021” during the World Government Summit Dialogues being held in Dubai.

The session drew the participation of President of Senegal Macky Sall, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Director of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Henrietta Holsman Fore and Special Envoy on Covid-19 of World Health Organization (WHO) Dr David Nabarro.

“Let’s get everyone to focus on fair access to vaccine for everybody -- then realistically the objective for immunisation -- at least by 2022 is a reasonable prospect,” the speakers expressed the hope. They pointed out that they have successfully achieved a global response with smallpox, polio, ebola, and SARS, so why are we not using this mechanism and working together to overcome COVID.

They urged the world’s nations to use global mechanisms, such as the G7, G20, the Security Council and the African Union, to collate a global response that ensures a safe vaccine through efficient logistics is delivered to the world’s majority.

Special Envoy on Covid-19 of World Health Organization (WHO) Dr David Nabarro criticised the rampant nationalisation and selfishness when it came to vaccine distribution, adding, “None of us are safe until we are all safe. None of us will be prosperous until we all have an opportunity to participate in the global economic recovery." He recommended that five percent of the current vaccine supplies in the developed world should be set aside for developing countries.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said that the distribution of the vaccine is the biggest challenge we face since World War II. “It is very sad to note that out of 12 billion available vaccine doses, the western countries have reserved 9 billion, although they account for only 14 percent of the population,” Sultan Ahmed stated.

Senegalese President Macky Sall said the country has so far received 124,000 doses of the vaccine. Since mid-February, 65,000 people have been vaccinated. The country plans to vaccinate three percent of its frontline workers this year and up to 60 percent of its population in collaboration with the African Union by the end of the programme.

The health experts concluded the session pointing out that the next six months to one year will be crucial and determine the effectiveness of the global response in quelling the pandemic.