June 11, 2021

Andrew Campbell 

As of today, the number of COVID-19 infection cases in Africa continues to rise and vaccination supplies are becoming increasingly short. Unless Africa receives additional 225 million doses, 47 of Africa's 54 countries, or nearly 90%, are on course to miss the September target of vaccinating 10% of their people, announced recently at the World Health Assembly. With 32 million doses, Africa is reportedly contributing to less than 1% of the more than 2.1 billion doses of vaccination provided globally. In the meantime, only 2% of Africa's almost 1.3 billion individuals have received a single jab, and just 9.4 million are fully vaccinated.

The theme of this World Health Assembly, which commenced on May 24 and concluded its sessions on May 31, was “ending this pandemic, preventing the next, building together a healthier, safer and fairer world”.  A commemorating resolution was passed. The Assembly urged global supports to commit to achieving the vaccination goal of 10 percent of the population of all countries by the end of September and at least 30 percent by the end of 2021. In his closing remarks in the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reminded Member States to strengthen WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies and pandemics.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only seven African countries are expected to fulfill the September vaccination goal. The COVID-19 crisis is worsening in ten African countries as Africa approaches 5 million coronavirus infection cases. Notably, Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia accounted for 72 percent of all new cases, and nine southern African nations accounted for over half of all new cases. Hence, Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Natalie Moeti, Regional Director of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, is worried that many vulnerable people in Africa may be at the risk of contracting COVID-19.

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