Page 23 - Nile Explorer Issue 12

available to everyone in the world. He
appealed for $4.2 billion (€3.5 billion) in
the next two months for COVAX.
John Nkengasong, head of the Africa
Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention (Africa CDC), told a virtual
news conference that it would be
“extremely terrible to see” rich countries
receiving COVID-19 vaccines while
African countries go without.
Vaccinations are not likely to begin
in Africa until mid-2021, according
to Nkengasong. He estimated in an
articles published by the science journal
“Nature”. that it could even take until
October to secure the total 1.5 billion
vaccine doses needed to reach 60% of
the continent’s 1.3 billion people, two
doses of the vaccine are required for full A staff member tests samples of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at a vaccine
protection from the coronavirus. The production plant of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) in
cost would be between $7 billion and Beijing, China, April 11, 2020.
$10 billion.
Not many countries in Africa can afford efficacy rate of about 95%. Russia says its also on the debate of the COVID trials
the coronavirus vaccine. COVAX was Sputnik V vaccine is 91% effective. in Africa.
set up with that in mind — the initiative There was uproar at the onset of the
aims to ensure that poor countries And the vaccine’s efficacy rate of 79% pandemic when a French television host
receive further financial aid. The World is lower than the 86% announced by asked scientist Camille Locht whether
Health Organization (WHO) says 46 the United Arab Emirates for the same such studies should not be carried out
African countries can benefit. vaccine on December 9. The UAE based in Africa, “where there are no masks, no
its results on an interim analysis of late-
Two billion vaccine doses are supposed treatment options and no resuscitation
to be made available by end of 2021. But stage clinical trials conducted there from measures.”
July. It has since approved the vaccine for
according to the vaccine alliance Gavi, public use. Africa CDC Director Nkengasong says
one billion doses have been planned for that at least 60% of Africa’s population
the poorer 92 countries. The Sinopharm vaccine has a higher would need to be vaccinated over the
efficacy rate than the one developed
A recent study by Oxfam, a UK Charity next two to three years. “If the delay takes
revealed that industrialized and by the UK’s Oxford University and us to four to five years then the virus will
AstraZeneca, which averaged 70%. The
emerging countries have already secured UK became the first country to approve be endemic in our communities,” he
more than 5billion vaccines, Africa the vaccine for public distribution, warned.
CDC Director John Nkengasong fears WHO estimates the cost of rolling out
that not enough vaccine will be left for Given that the UK’s Oxford University a COVID-19 vaccine on the African
the African continent. and AstraZeneca trial were done in continent to priority populations will
collaboration with a number of African
Moreover, the vaccines that are already countries, it seems to be the best be around US$ 5.7 billion. This does not
on the market in the west cannot be candidate for Africa’s COVID-19 mass include an additional 15% - 20% cost for
appropriate for Africa. The BioNTech- immunization programmes, its efficacy injection materials and the delivery of
Pfizer vaccine used in Britain, for vaccines, which require trained health
example, has to be cooled at minus notwithstanding. Further studies are workers, supply chain and logistics and
said to show that two doses of the
70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees vaccines spread over 30 days do improve community mobilization. This cost is
Fahrenheit). In many rural areas in its efficacy. based on COVAX facility estimates of
Africa, there is hardly any electricity the average vaccine price at US$ 10.55
supply, the hope therefore for the Africa CDC Director Nkengasong has per dose and that a two-dose regimen
continent is the AstraZeneca vaccine urged the continent’s governments will be needed.
and the other vaccines by the Chinese to rebuild their cooling systems by Widespread campaigns to distribute
pharmaceutical Sinopharm and the February. Seidel says the COVAX COVID-19 vaccines in Africa will likely
Russian Sputnik V. These vaccines do initiative is also supporting African only begin in the second quarter of
not require the ultra-low temperature countries in this aspect. next year because of challenges around
freezers, but can be handled under Yet, another challenge that governments accessing vaccines and preparing
normal refrigeration. and experts anticipate is some resistance countries for their distribution, said John
The Sinopharm vaccine is less effective from people receiving the COVID-19 Nkengasong, Africa Centre for Disease
than those developed by Pfizer- vaccine because of the debate and Control and Prevention director, during
BioNTech and Moderna, which have an conspiracy theories around vaccines, but a press conference in mid December.

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