Africa: COVID-19 surge combines with vaccine shortage, less than 1% population vaccinated

On Thursday, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director Matshidiso Moeti informed that less than 1 per cent of the African population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 infection amid a third wave of the pandemic in countries.

In fact, as per the official statement, 47 out of 54 countries i.e. 90 per cent are set to miss the September target of vaccinating 10 per cent of their people unless Africa received 225 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Moeti at a press briefing said, "Almost 12 million people are now fully vaccinated but this is still less than 1per cent of Africa's population."

'Africa under full-blown third wave': WHO Regional Chief

According to the WHO regional head, the number of COVID-19 cases has surpassed 5 million in Africa, with the death toll climbing to 136,000 people. The countries in the region have been experiencing a sharp increase in new infections, as much as by over 20 per cent week-on-week in 22 African countries.

Moeti stated, "Africa is in the midst of a full-blown third wave. The sobering trajectory of surging COVID-19 cases should rouse everyone to urgent action. We've seen in India and elsewhere how quickly COVID-19 can rebound and overwhelm health systems."

She explained the reasons behind a slow-paced vaccination drive in the continent were "logistical challenges, gaps in operational funding and vaccine hesitancy".

The WHO African Region stated via Twitter, "Africa accounts for under 1% of the over 2.1 billion COVID-19 doses administered globally. Just 2% of the continent’s nearly 1.3 billion people have received one dose & only 9.4 million Africans are fully vaccinated."

Africa's COVID-19 vaccine rollout picks up

However, United States President Joe Biden’s planned announcement that the US would donate half a billion Pfizer vaccines to 92 low and lower-middle-income countries and the African Union is definitely an important step forward. It is important to note that only 23 African countries have used less than half of the doses received.

Doses of the Pfizer vaccine are being used to inoculate people aged 60 and over. About 1.4 million people have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Reportedly, South Africa is expecting to receive 3.1 million Pfizer doses by the end of June.

As Africa is nearing reaching the 5 million COVID-19 cases, numbers have increased by nearly 20% to over 88 000 in the past week. 72 per cent of all new cases were reported in Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia and over half were recorded in nine southern African countries.

“The tide is starting to turn. We are now seeing wealthy nations beginning to turn promises into action,” added Moeti.