French President calls for COVID vaccine manufacturers to supplement G7 donations

Ahead of the G7 (Group of Seven) summit, French President Emmanuel Macron called for leading pharma groups producing COVID vaccines to donate ten per cent of their productions to poor nations. Previously, British PM Boris Johnson said that he expects all the G7 to donate a minimum of one billion doses to poorer countries to expedite global vaccination. Adding to it, Macron on Thursday stressed that the G7 vaccine donations need to be “supplemented” by that from the pharmaceuticals. He also said that states had funded research and development of vaccines and that it was legitimate to “ask for contributions.”

"Donations of doses by states have to be supplemented by donations of doses by pharmaceutical companies,” he said addressing a news conference in Paris.

Meanwhile, Macron also asked his fellow G7 leaders to back a goal of inoculating 60 per cent of Africa by the end of March 2022. Macron said the figure, was more ambitious than provided for by the Covax jab scheme for poorer nations, which aims to immunise 20 per cent of Africans by the end of 2021. "I think it's a good objective and it is the one we will endorse at the G7," Macron told a news conference, referring to the 60-per cent coverage rate which was set by Africa Centre for disease control and prevention.

G7 to donate a million doses 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expects the G7 (Group of Seven) leaders to expand the global COVID vaccination drive by donating a minimum of one billion doses to poorer countries. Addressing media reporters on June 10, Johnson reckoned that he “hopes” that his fellow leaders would make pledges so that together, we can vaccinate the world by the end of next year and build back better from coronavirus." While the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus contagion, Britain itself has announced to give 100 million surplus doses before the end of 2022, including five million in the coming weeks.

The UK is hosting this year’s G7 conference in Cornwall from Friday, June 11 to Sunday, June 13. The meeting is expected to see the leaders of the world’s “most advanced economies” in attendance. 

Image: AP