WHO: Poor Countries Have Gotten One Billion Doses

The Associated Press reports:

The World Health Organization said Sunday that a U.N.-backed program shipping coronavirus vaccines to many poor countries has now delivered 1 billion doses, but that milestone “is only a reminder of the work that remains” after hoarding and stockpiling in rich countries.

A shipment of 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Rwanda on Saturday included the billionth dose supplied via the COVAX program, the U.N. health agency said.

WHO has long criticized unequal distribution of vaccines and called for manufacturers and other countries to prioritize COVAX. It said that, as of Thursday, 36 of its 194 member countries had vaccinated less than 10% of their population and 88 had vaccinated less than 40%.

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A U.N.-backed program shipping COVID-19 vaccines to many poor countries has now delivered 1 billion doses. But the World Health Organization says the milestone is a “reminder of the work that remains” after hoarding and stockpiling in rich countries. https://t.co/EY9L1UfeI0

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) January 16, 2022