Back to Search
Start Over
COVID-19 vaccine inequity in African low-income countries.
- Source :
-
Frontiers in public health [Front Public Health] 2023 Mar 06; Vol. 11, pp. 1087662. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Mar 06 (Print Publication: 2023). - Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Equitable access and utilization of the COVID-19 vaccine is the main exit strategy from the pandemic. This paper used proceedings from the Second Extraordinary Think-Tank conference, which was held by the Health Economics and Policy Unit at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences in collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health, complemented by a review of literature. We found disparities in COVID-19 vaccine coverage among low-income countries. This is also the case among high income countries. The disparities are driven mainly by insufficient supply, inequitable distribution, limited production of the vaccine in low-income countries, weak health systems, high vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine misconceptions. COVID-19 vaccine inequity continues to affect the entire world with the ongoing risks of emergence of new COVID-19 variants, increased morbidity and mortality and social and economic disruptions. In order to reduce the COVID-19 vaccination inequality in low-income countries, there is need to expand COVAX facility, waive intellectual property rights, transform knowledge and technology acquired into vaccines, and conduct mass COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.<br />Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.<br /> (Copyright © 2023 Kunyenje, Chirwa, Mboma, Ng'ambi, Mnjowe, Nkhoma, Ngwira, Chawani, Chilima, Mitambo, Crampin and Mfutso-Bengo.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2296-2565
- Volume :
- 11
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Frontiers in public health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 36950103
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1087662