COVID-19 Vaccine Gap, President Of South Africa: Rich Countries Don't Stock Vaccines
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (Twitter / CyrilRamaphosa)

JAKARTA - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged rich countries not to stockpile COVID-19 vaccines. He called for this so that global vaccine production can be distributed more evenly to third world countries.

“The rich countries in the world are receiving large doses [COVID-19 vaccine]. Some even earn up to four times what their population needs," Ramaphosa said at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) quoted by Reuters, Wednesday, January 27.

Ramaphosa's exclamation was not without reason. Because not a few countries in the world are in critical condition and really need the vaccine. Including South Africa, which is the largest contributor to deaths from COVID-19.

The Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanon Ghebreyesus has voiced a similar effort last week. Tedros described the unequal access to vaccines as a world-destroying moral failure.

Vaccine gap

Previously, the African Union this month secured 270 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The order was made to complete the total 600 million doses needed by the African continent through the COVAX distribution scheme, a program fronted by WHO and Gavi.

However, the vaccine dose that is expected to arrive this year, has not arrived. The disparity is so obvious when you look at several countries in Europe, Asia and America that have implemented vaccination programs. This delay was criticized by Ramaphosa.

What's more, the UK has ordered 367 million doses of seven different vaccines for just 67 million of its citizens. In addition, the European Union has secured nearly 2.3 billion doses of vaccine for 450 million people.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock felt offended. He then revealed his efforts to order multiple vaccines as a form of protecting the British people. Because, it is his duty to protect all British people.

"But we have to make sure that there is a wide availability of vaccines for the whole world as well. Either with funding, and with the very open and generous approach of AstraZeneca has led to the global distribution of the Oxford vaccine," said Matt Hancock.

So far South Africa has confirmed 1,417,537 cases of COVID-19 transmission. Among them, there were 41,117 death cases.


The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)