In March, she had sustained a 'major injury' on her forehead
asia2 hours ago
Africa faces a 470 million shortfall in Covid-19 vaccine doses this year after the Covax alliance cut its projected shipments, raising the risk of new and deadly variants, the WHO said on Thursday.
Only 17 per cent of the continent’s population will now be vaccinated by the end of this year, compared with the 40 per cent target set by the World Health Organization, the global agency’s Africa unit said at its weekly briefing in the Congolese capita of Brazzaville.
“The staggering inequity and severe lag in shipments of vaccines threaten to turn areas in Africa ... into breeding grounds for vaccine-resistant variants,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa director.
“This could end up sending the whole world back to square one.”
Due to global shortages, the Covax alliance set up to ensure equitable delivery of jabs, will ship about 150 million fewer doses of vaccine to Africa than planned.
Taking into account this shortfall, the 470 million doses of vaccine now expected in Africa will allow only 17 per cent of the population to be fully protected, the WHO’s regional office said.
“As long as rich countries lock Covax out of the market, Africa will miss its vaccination goals,” Moetti said.
The reduction in the vaccination target comes as Africa passes the eight million mark in infections this week, the WHO said.
About 95 million doses should have been received in Africa via Covax during September, but despite the resumption of shipments, “Africa has only been able to vaccinate 50 million people, or 3.6 per cent of its population,” says WHO Africa.
The Covax international funding mechanism is supposed to allow 92 disadvantaged states and territories to receive free vaccines funded by more prosperous nations.
Last week, it revised its forecasts downwards, explaining the lack of doses “by export bans, the priority given to bilateral agreements between manufacturers and countries, delays in filing applications for approval”, among other reasons.
In March, she had sustained a 'major injury' on her forehead
asia2 hours ago
A Dh2-million map serving as the first printed reference to the holy city of Makkah will also available for purchase
books2 hours ago
The Environment and Natural Reserves Authority urged the public to verify information from official sources
uae3 hours ago
Fire tenders were on the spot and engaged in dousing fire and further details are awaited
asia4 hours ago
Medical teams swiftly transferred the 16th batch to hospitals for treatment
uae4 hours ago
The Argentinian's beauty got many looking for the 'fountain of youth': She can't be that old, Netizens say
world4 hours ago
They have been granted consular access and would be turned over to their ambassadors in Tehran
gulf5 hours ago
The plane spent roughly 33 minutes in the air and a passenger said that there was an extremely loud noise emanating from the aircraft
americas6 hours ago