The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Africa are especially concerning because the continent has the least amount of access to vaccines, diagnostics, and oxygen, reported Bloomberg Quint.
During a briefing on Monday, the WHO head told reporters that the spread of more transmissible variants also increases the continent’s mortality rate among critically ill COVID-19 patients.
“Right now the virus is moving faster than the global distribution of vaccines,” he said.
Tedros added that public health and social measures may need to be more stringent and applied for longer in areas where vaccination rates remain low.
Notably, only 2.8 percent of Africa’s population has been vaccinated so far, compared with a global average of 14.5 percent.
The WHO head welcomed the G7 nations’ announcement to take their total dose donations to more than one billion, up from 130 million promised in February.
“I welcome the announcement that G7 countries will donate 870 million (new) vaccine doses, primarily through Covax,” Tedros said.
On Sunday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the G7 nations to meet their commitments and help finance the WHO’s programme to boost COVID-19 testing, diagnostics, and vaccines.
He said if the G7 nations pay their share, the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator will get two-thirds of the total funding needed. He further said if the G20 joins in, the WHO programme would get 90 percent of the money required.
Ramaphosa also urged the G7 countries to support South Africa and India’s campaign to temporarily waive COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property rights. He claimed that the waiver will help in the distribution of more and more coronavirus vaccines and prevent the spread and mutation of the virus.
Africa has reported 5 million COVID-19 cases so far, with the southern Africa region the worst affected.
