MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Latin America demand rich countries stop hoarding the Covid-19 vaccines
Three-quarters of the first doses have been administered to citizens in only 10 countries that account for 60% of global GDP, Ebrard pointed out 
Ebrard told the 15-member council that he was setting out the concerns of his government and Latin America about the “inequality” of access to the vaccines Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard during a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council called on rich countries to stop hoarding vaccines against Covid-19 impeding the poor from being inoculated.
Ebrard told the 15-member council that he was setting out the concerns of his government and Latin America about the “inequality” of access to the vaccines..
Three-quarters of the first doses have been administered to citizens in only 10 countries that account for 60% of global gross domestic product (GDP), Ebrard pointed out, while in more than 100 countries no vaccines have been applied at all.
“The countries that produce (vaccines) have very high vaccination rates, and Latin America and the Caribbean much less,” Ebrard adding that the situation was “not fair.”
Ebrard said that so far no vaccines have been distributed under the global Covax initiative and officials from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO, said that countries could expect confirmation of their Covax vaccine shipments soon, “although the first batches were expected to be small”.
A total of 190 countries have joined Covax, which aims to ensure equitable access to vaccines. The scheme is jointly run by the Gavi alliance, WHO, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and Unicef.
“The countries that produce (vaccines) have very high vaccination rates, and Latin America and the Caribbean much less,” Ebrard told reporters at a regular government news conference, adding that the situation was “not fair.”
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Read all commentsIndia donated vaccines to neighbours and to Barbados. Trinidad, which employs Cuban health workers, celebrated carnival 2020 with 30,000 visitors as the pandemic raged and leaders travelled overseas, then closed borders leaving while thousands of citizens stranded. Venezuela allowed carnival 2021 as millions flee hunger and disease. Countries with high priority for healthcare prepared and taxpaying citizens are being protected. Africa can divert funds from conflict to health, end addiction to aid from former imperial rulers and get vaccine from PRC which invests in its abundant resources. UN should fire bureaucrats and let WHO and other agencies solve problems. .
Feb 19th, 2021 - 11:59 am +2The Head of the WHO was backed by China. Coinkydinks? I think not...
Feb 19th, 2021 - 12:13 pm 0Actually the WHO is an agency of the Chinese government.
Feb 19th, 2021 - 11:13 pm 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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