The WHO has blasted the rich nations for “stockpiling” COVID vaccines and pharmaceutical companies for not sharing knowhow.

By B N KUMAR

MUMBAI, Jan 18 (The CONNECT) – The UN health body has blasted the rich nations for “stockpiling” COVID vaccines and pharmaceutical companies for not sharing knowhow.

“COVAX’s ambition was compromised by hoarding/stockpiling in rich countries, catastrophic outbreaks leading to borders and supply being locked,” the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a media statement. “And a lack of sharing of licenses, technology and know-how by pharmaceutical companies meant manufacturing capacity went unused,” it said.
The WHO delivered a shipment of 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccines to Rwanda that included the billionth dose supplied via COVAX.

Together with partners, COVAX is leading the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history, with deliveries to 144 countries to date, the

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There is no time to waste in the fight against COVID-19.  No-one is safe until everyone is safe.- WHO

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WHO said and regretted that the work that has gone into this milestone is only a reminder of the work that remains.

“As of 13 January 2022, out of 194 Member States, 36 WHO Member States have vaccinated less than 10% of their population, and 88 less than 40%.

With updated vaccines in the pipeline, now is the moment for all citizens to demand that governments and pharmaceutical companies share health tools globally and bring an end to the death and destruction cycles of this pandemic, limit new variants and drive a global economic recovery, the WHO said.