The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that vaccination against COVID-19 in Africa is very poor, noting that “most African countries have not reached the specified vaccination goals, while Morocco and only four countries have adhered to the requirements of the vaccination process.”
In its latest report on the vaccination development in Africa, the United Nations stated that “a number of countries in the continent did not adhere to the organization’s goals,” set at 10% vaccinated population by September, and 40% a the end of 2021.
The UN body also pointed to African countries’ non adherence to the WHO’s guidelines.
The document indicated that Morocco, Cape Verde, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tunisia are the only African countries that have managed to vaccinate more than 10% of their citizens.
The remaining countries are at such low rates, as some have under 5% of the population vaccinated.
The report emphasized that Morocco is one of the African countries where vaccination campaigns are most effective, noting that nearly 23 million people received the two doses, and just over 24 million received the first injection.
According to the WHO’s report, the general trend associated with vaccination is weak, as the vaccine is almost absent in the majority of African countries.
Only 102 million people have been fully vaccinated, which is 7.5% of the continent’s total population. The organism warns that 80% of people in Africa have not received even the first dose of the vaccine, which means that in many cases they are at high risk of contracting the virus, and experience aggravated symptoms and associated diseases.
The report additionally reported an 83% increase in new COVID-19 cases in Africa in early December.
But the international debate around COVID-19 vaccines in Africa has always been making headlines. Politicians, activists and health personnel have been pointing to a “discrimination” in vaccine distribution, that “marginalizes the African continent.”
The ability for lower-income countries, most of which are in Africa, to access COVID-19 vaccines has made many outraged at how pharmaceutical companies and western countries have prioritized profit. The UN’s answer to this criticism was the creation of the COVAX, a vaccine aid program.
In fact, most of the vaccine deliveries in Africa come from the UN’s COVAX program. Africa remains “on the sidelines,” which according to the WHO’s Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti is explained by “problems of shortage, funding, lack of qualified personnel”, as well as logistical problems.
In addition, the most distributed vaccine in Africa is AstraZeneca, which is subject to various rumours and misinformation on the continent, fueling the population’s refusal to get vaccinated.
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