“And we also have the right of first refusal on an additional one billion doses”, World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,  updated journalists in a regular media briefing. 

Level playing field 

He highlighted however, that of the 42 countries already rolling out the various COVID-19 vaccines which have been cleared for use, 36 are in high income nations. 

“There’s a clear problem that low and most middle income countries are not receiving the vaccine yet”, Tedros said, adding that can and must be solved “together through COVAX and the ACT-Accelerator”. 

COVAX – set up last April by WHO, GAVI the vaccine alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) – is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to provide COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments and vaccines to all, regardless of their ability to pay. 

As rich countries have purchased most of the