"Vaccination nationalism puts us all in danger": The world health summit in Berlin is about the fair distribution of vaccines.
No state will get through the pandemic alone.
Berlin - “The pandemic will end when the world decides to end it”: The “World Health Summit” started on the weekend and WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus encouraged everyone in the corona crisis with these words - but also advertised for their participation.
We currently know of almost 50,000 registered deaths per week - Corona is far from over, the dpa continues to quote the WHO chief.
WHO chief: "No country can end the corona pandemic in isolation"
The World Health Organization called on all countries to step back on corona vaccine deliveries in favor of countries in need.
"No country can end the pandemic in isolation from the rest of the world," warned Ghebreyesus.
He recalled the WHO target that at least 40 percent of people in every country should be vaccinated by the end of the year: “This goal can be achieved.” He called for a “global pandemic pact”.
He thanked Germany for its generosity, but more was needed.
Countries that have already achieved a vaccination quota of at least 40 percent - including all G20 countries - should give priority to the UN vaccine program Covax or the African initiative Avat when it comes to vaccine deliveries.
Corona vaccine: Spahn highlights Germany's donations
The digitally held World Health Summit will last until Tuesday (October 26th), can be followed online and is also under the patronage of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).
The speakers are expected to include EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) and virologist Christian Drosten.
According to Spahn, Germany is the second largest donor within the anti-pandemic cooperation ACT-A, to which Covax also belongs.
So far, the Federal Republic has contributed 2.2 billion euros.
By the end of the year, more than 100 million doses of vaccine will have been donated.
UN Secretary General: "Vaccination nationalism puts us all in danger"
UN General Secretary António Guterres called for a more sensible distribution of corona vaccines at the summit: "Vaccination nationalism and vaccine hoarding puts us all at risk," he said in a pre-recorded speech on Sunday evening.
Topics at the summit include vaccination justice and health as a global good, as well as artificial intelligence in health care.
Around 6,000 experts from a hundred nations will discuss at the event.
(AFP / dpa / frs)