April 17, 2021
2 mins read

WHO urges nations to donate vaccine doses

He also urged all countries to implement an evidence-based combination of measures, including surveillance, testing, contact tracing, supportive quarantine, and compassionate care to stop the virus…reports Asian Lite News.

Covid has grown like a giant that frightens each human in the world without any barriers. The number of new Covid-19 cases per week worldwide has nearly doubled over the past two months, approaching the highest infection rate seen so far during the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Cases and deaths are continuing to increase at worrying rates, and some countries that had previously avoided widespread transmission are now seeing steep increases in infections, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a special ministerial meeting, Xinhua news agency reported.

He attributed the alarming increase to rapidly spreading variants, inconsistent use and premature easing of public health measures, fatigue of populations with social restrictions, and dramatic inequity in vaccine coverage.

Health worker collect swab sample testing for Covid-19 at CP in new Delhi on Monday March 22, 2021.(Photo:Wasim Sarvar/IANS)

“Vaccine equity is the challenge of our time. And we are failing,” he said, as WHO statistics have shown that of more than 832 million vaccine doses that have been administered globally, over 82 per cent have gone to high- or upper middle-income countries, while low-income countries have received just 0.2 per cent.

“The inequitable distribution of vaccines is not just a moral outrage, it is also economically and epidemiologically self-defeating. The more transmission, the more variants. And the more variants that emerge, the more likely it is that they could evade vaccines,” the WHO chief warned.

A health worker looks at a vial of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination centre

As for solutions, Tedros urged countries to immediately donate vaccine doses that are over their needs to COVAX, increase vaccine production by, for example giving voluntary license and waivering certain intellectual property provisions, and invest in local vaccine manufacturing.

He also urged all countries to implement an evidence-based combination of measures, including surveillance, testing, contact tracing, supportive quarantine, and compassionate care to stop the virus.

Meanwhile, the authorities still need to encourage people to take personal precautions, such as physical distancing, masks, hand hygiene, and ventilation, to keep themselves and others safe, he said.

Also Read-WHO lashes out at Europe’s slow vax rollout

Read More-WHO chief condemns global vax divide

Previous Story

STUDY: Double masking gives double protection

Next Story

Merkel gets first dose of Covid vaccine

Latest from -Top News

US committed great crime: Iran

Iran has now called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and demanded the IAEA Board of Governors address the situation….reports Asian Lite News Iran has strongly condemned the United

Strike Iran, Face Us, Houthis warn US

The Yemen-based Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been targeting Israel since November 2023…reports Asian Lite News Yemen’s Houthi group issued a stark warning on Sunday, declaring they would

Tehran Hits Back After US Strikes

The missiles struck several locations across central Israel. Notably, one hit Haifa without any prior warning sirens, raising alarm over possible gaps in the missile alert system….reports Asian Lite News Iran fired

Trump Dares Iran Again

This comes as Trump announced that America had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran and warned Tehran of further precision strikes…reports Asian Lite News US President Donald Trump declared that no other
Go toTop

Don't Miss

LDF stage protests demanding free Covid vaccine

Centre has provided 60 lakh vaccine doses to Kerala and

Johnson said old people should accept Covid fate, note shows

The former prime minister, as well as his successor Rishi