The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic which paved the way for rapid production of vaccines showed the weak structures low-income countries including Nigeria have in accessing the global vaccine market.
Despite claim by the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Global Vaccine Market Report 2022 – the first of its kind since the pandemic published on Wednesday November 9, 2022 that inequitable distribution is not unique to COVID-19 vaccines yet poorer countries are constantly struggling to access vaccines that are in-demand by wealthier countries.
This access denial which is driving global disparity will have dire consequences on countries whose citizens’ lives are at risk.
According to the report, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine against cervical cancer has only been introduced in 41% of low-income countries, even though they represent much of the disease burden, compared to 83% of high-income countries.
Affordability is also an obstacle to vaccine access. While prices tend to be tiered by income, price disparities see middle-income countries paying as much – or even more – than wealthier ones for several vaccine products.
“The right to health includes the right to vaccines,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“And yet this new report shows that free-market dynamics are depriving some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people of that right. WHO is calling for much-needed changes to the global vaccine market to save lives, prevent disease and prepare for future crises.”
To curb this challenge, WHO is calling on low-income countries to act on “clear immunization plans and more aggressive investment and stronger oversight of vaccine development, production and distribution; regional research and manufacturing hubs; and pre-agreeing rules for government collaboration in times of scarcity on issues such as vaccine distribution, intellectual property and the circulation of inputs and goods.”
Also, it recommends that industries should focus on “research efforts on WHO priority pathogens, ensuring transparency, facilitating technology transfer, and committing to specific equity-driven allocation measures. International organizations and partners should prioritize Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, support country-driven initiatives and push for the application of resolutions on market transparency.”
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