Stop vaccinating children, donate doses to poorer countries: WHO to rich nations

Geneva: The World Health Organization voiced for the vulnerable people in poorer countries across the globe and against the rich countries vaccinating less vulnerable children and adults, creating a shortage of doses.

The mass buying of vaccine by rich countries created a dearth of vaccine supply while vulnerable people in the poorer countries are deprived of vaccine shots, leaving them in an utter dangerous condition.

Pointing out that a number of rich countries are now vaccinating children and teenagers while poorer states had barely begun vaccinating health workers and their most vulnerable groups, the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the rich countries to reconsider their plans to vaccinate children, and donate vaccine doses to poorer nations, a report published in The Guardian said.

"Instead of offering jabs to young and healthy people, countries should give their doses to the Covax global vaccine-sharing scheme and thereby ensure that those most in need in all countries receive protection", the report quoted as Tedros said.

"The fact that so many are still not protected is a sad reflection on the gross distortion in access to vaccines across the globe.", Tedros, 56, who had been vaccinated against Covid-19 earlier this week in Geneva added.

"In low- and lower-middle-income countries, Covid-19 vaccine supply has not been enough to even immunise healthcare workers, and hospitals are being inundated with people that need lifesaving care urgently." he further said.

Canada and the US are among countries that have authorised vaccines for use in adolescents in recent weeks. However, a WHO official said talks with Washington on sharing doses were underway.

The WHO is hoping more countries will follow France and Sweden in donating shots to Covax after inoculating their priority populations, to help address a gulf in vaccination rates.