Status: 10/24/2021 8:59 p.m.
At the “World Health Summit” in Berlin in the coming days, experts will talk about the global distribution of vaccines, among other things. At the beginning, the UN and WHO again reminded that Corona can only be defeated globally.
On the occasion of the “World Health Summit” in Berlin, UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a more sensible distribution of corona vaccines: “Vaccination nationalism and vaccine hoarding puts us all at risk,” he said in a pre-recorded speech. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said governments and manufacturers “need to deliver many more vaccine doses, especially to the most vulnerable countries”. This is the only way to bring the corona pandemic under control.
Spahn: Germany’s second largest donor
Ghebreyesus recalled the WHO target that at least 40 percent of people in each country should be vaccinated by the end of the year. This goal is “achievable”. The WHO chief thanked Germany for its generosity with vaccine donations. But more is needed. Countries that have already achieved a vaccination quota of at least 40 percent – including all G20 countries – should give priority to the UN vaccine program Covax or the African initiative Avat when it comes to vaccine deliveries. “No country can end the pandemic in isolation from the rest of the world,” warned Ghebreyesus. According to Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn, Germany is the second largest donor within the anti-pandemic cooperation ACT-A, to which Covax also belongs.
According to the RKI, around two thirds of the population in Germany are fully vaccinated. In some cases, however, vaccination rates are still very low, especially on the African continent. It is difficult to get reliable figures from all states from there. In many countries, the vaccination quota is likely to be in the single-digit range, and in some of them virtually no vaccinations have been given to date. In many Western countries, however, “booster vaccinations” are already being administered – that is, booster vaccinations that are administered a few months after the second vaccination dose, which is usually necessary for complete protection.
“Global – or not at all”
In the run-up to the meeting, the aid agencies of the two major Christian churches also called for a fairer distribution of vaccines. The president of the evangelical aid organization “Bread for the World”, Dagmar Pruin, said that wealthy countries had to deliver their promised vaccine donations as soon as possible. “That must now have top priority – because we will only defeat the pandemic globally or not at all.” Vulnerable groups around the world in particular need to be cared for, explained the chief executive of the Catholic aid organization Misereor, Pirmin Spiegel.
The theme of this year’s World Health Summit is, in addition to vaccination justice, among other things, artificial intelligence in health care. The event, at which around 6,000 experts from 100 nations discuss global health care, will last until October 26th and can be followed online. Federal Health Minister Spahn, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and WHO director Tedros are also expected.