Unequal Vaccine Roll-out Plan Upsets Ellen Sirleaf

By Ahmed Rahma

The co-Chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic review panel, Ms Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has expressed disappointment over the unequal roll-out plan of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The former Liberian President expressed her dismay over the issue at the WHO Executive Board Meeting on Tuesday, lamenting that this will not make the jabs widely available in Africa until 2022 or 2023 based on current the plan.

“The panel is discouraged and frankly disappointed by the unequal plans for vaccine rollout,” she said.

Recall that in November 2020, all the 47 countries in the WHO African Region have received WHO’s Vaccine Readiness Assessment Tool which is intended to be used by Ministries of Health, with support from WHO and UNICEF.

The RAT provides a roadmap for countries to plan for COVID-19 vaccine introduction and covers 10 key areas which are planning and coordination; resources and funding; vaccine regulations; service delivery; training and supervision; monitoring and evaluation; vaccine logistics; vaccine safety; surveillance and communications and community engagement.

As that time, 40 countries have updated the tool and provided data to the organisation.

An analysis finds that based on the self-reports by the countries, the African region has an average score of 33 per cent readiness for a COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, which is well below the desired benchmark of 80 per cent.

“The largest immunisation drive in Africa’s history is right around the corner, and African governments must urgently ramp up readiness.

“Planning and preparation will make or break this unprecedented endeavour, and we need active leadership and engagement from the highest levels of government with solid, comprehensive national coordination plans and systems put in place,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.