WHO head: Vaccinating healthy in rich countries before health workers, old in poor ones not right

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that vaccinating healthy and young adults in rich countries before the old individuals and health workers in poor nations was not right.

“It’s right that all governments want to prioritize vaccinating their own health workers and older people first,” said the WHO head. “But it’s not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries.”

Dr. Tedros was giving his opening remarks at the 148th session of the Executive Board on Monday. The session is taking place virtually from Geneva during 7 pm-10 pm, 11 pm-3 am Pacific Time on 18-26 January.

At the annual meeting of the board, which is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms, members agree upon the agenda for and the resolutions to be considered by the World Health Assembly.

According to the speech’s official transcript WHO media team sent out to news organizations including US and Global News, the WHO boss began the over 35-minute-long address by saying, “40 years ago, a new virus emerged and sparked a pandemic. Life-saving medicines were developed, but more than a decade passed before the world’s poor got access to them.”

Referring to the 2009 swine flu pandemic, Dr. Tedros said that the vaccines were delivered to the poor only when the pandemic was already over.

“12 years ago, a new virus emerged and sparked a pandemic,” he said. “Life saving vaccines were developed, but by the time the world’s poor got access, the pandemic was over.”

Talking about the current COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO chief stated there is now an opportunity to beat history.

“One year ago, a new virus emerged and sparked a pandemic,” said Dr. Tedros. “Life-saving vaccines have been developed. What happens next is up to us.”

He added, “We have an opportunity to beat history; to write a different story; to avoid the mistakes of the HIV and H1N1 pandemics.”

The WHO head called the availability of COVID-19 vaccines an achievement and a source of hope.

“The development and approval of safe and effective vaccines less than a year after the emergence of a new virus is a stunning scientific achievement, and a much-needed source of hope,” said the director-general.

He reminded, “Vaccines are the shot in the arm we all need – literally and figuratively.”

Listen to the full speech on the WHO website here.

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