Over 40 Charities in Africa Slam Rich Nations for Blocking Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
Africa has received only 0.2% of 300 million coronavirus vaccine doses administered worldwide.
By Nita Bhalla
NAIROBI, March 11 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Charities in Africa slammed rich nations on Thursday for blocking efforts to waive patents for COVID-19 vaccines, saying this would prolong the pandemic for years in poorer nations and push millions across the continent deeper into poverty.
More than 40 charities, including Amnesty International and Christian Aid, said Wednesday s move by Western nations to prevent generic or other manufacturers making more vaccines in poorer nations was an affront on people s right to health care.
By Nita Bhalla
NAIROBI, March 11 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Charities in Africa slammed rich nations on Thursday for blocking efforts to waive patents for COVID-19 vaccines, saying this would prolong the pandemic for years in poorer nations and push millions across the continent deeper into poverty.
More than 40 charities, including Amnesty International and Christian Aid, said Wednesday s move by Western nations to prevent generic or other manufacturers making more vaccines in poorer nations was an affront on people s right to healthcare.
Peter Kamalingin, Oxfam International s Africa director, said sub-Saharan Africa - 14% of the global population - had received only 0.2% of 300 million vaccine doses administered worldwide.
Africans slam rich nations for blocking access to generic COVID vaccines postbulletin.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from postbulletin.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The East African
Friday March 12 2021
A man gets a Covid-19 jab in Kigali on March 6, 2021 as Rwanda rolls out the vaccination exercise. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA | THE EASTAFRICAN
Summary
Richer members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) blocked a push by some 80 developing countries - led by India and South Africa - to waive its Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) agreement rules on patents.
The move sent a message that African lives were less important than those of people in rich nations, Oxfam Africa director said.
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Charities in Africa on Thursday slammed rich nations for blocking efforts to waive patents for Covid-19 vaccines, saying this would prolong the pandemic for years in poorer nations and push millions across the continent deeper into poverty.
Countries such as the United States and Britain argue that protecting intellectual property rights encourages research and innovation, and that suspending those rights would not result in a sudden surge of vaccine supply.
Africa s confirmed coronavirus caseload is almost 4 million, with more than 100,000 deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
While Africa accounts for less than 4% of the 118 million cases and 2.6 million deaths recorded globally, health experts say a lack of testing and reliable data from many African nations means the true figures may be far higher.
The World Bank estimates that the new coronavirus crisis has already pushed 40 million people in sub-Saharan economies into extreme poverty, that is, living on less than $1.90 a day.