The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Anti-Covid vaccines: aid to Africa is "scandalously ineffective", according to Rwandan president

2021-05-31T07:53:34.406Z


The distribution of vaccines against Covid-19 to the African continent is "scandalously ineffective", the Rwandan president estimated Friday, May 28 ...


The distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to the African continent is "

scandalously inefficient

", Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Friday, May 28, warning not to build "

an invisible wall

" between vaccinated and non-vaccinated countries.

According to WHO figures at the beginning of May, only 2% of anti-Covid vaccines administered worldwide were in Africa.

Read also: Covid-19: for or against the vaccination of children?

Referring to the distribution of vaccines to Africa, in particular via the Covax device intended to provide equitable access to vaccines, especially for the poorest countries, "

it remains very ineffective, scandalously ineffective,

" said Paul Kagame in an interview on Friday. evening at AFP and France Inter.

Africa needs vaccines like everyone else.

You cannot have vaccines for some and not for others

”, he affirmed, stressing that“

the fact that Africa does not receive vaccines is not good

”.

If we do it fairly, we have a chance to eradicate (Covid) globally

,” he added.

"

Invisible wall

"

I hope we don't end up in a situation of building an invisible wall, where those who have been vaccinated say, 'We have to stay safe, so we have to keep away those who are not. vaccinated ''. Rationally, it would be useful for there to be an equitable sharing of what is available,

”he insisted. The Rwandan president also underlined the usefulness of developing the production of vaccines on the African continent, "

not for Africa only, (...) for Africa and for the other

" continents.

This process will take time, he recalled: "

We must plan, make investments, there are technologies that are owned by some, and the argument of intellectual property has emerged ... These are things which must be resolved quickly

”. The Rwandan leader wishes to place his country at the forefront in this area. “

In Rwanda, we hope we can see vaccines made here in as little as a year. It's very optimistic, but I always want to be optimistic even in very difficult circumstances

, ”he said.

In early May, the United States said it was in favor of lifting intellectual property protections for vaccines against Covid-19, in order to accelerate their production and distribution around the world. Many EU countries have expressed skepticism about such a measure. Hitherto reluctant, French President Emmanuel Macron said he agreed on Friday, during a visit to South Africa, for a temporary lifting of patents on anti-Covid vaccines, if this allows production technology transfers in poor countries.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-05-31

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.