The global scheme to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries faces a “very high” risk of failure, potentially leaving nations home to billions of people with no access to vaccines until as late as 2024, internal documents say.
That’s according to internal documents seen by Reuters.
They show the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global scheme to deliver the vaccines faces a “very high” risk of failure, potentially leaving nations home to billions of people vulnerable to the virus.
The WHO’s COVAX programme is the main global scheme to vaccinate people in poor and middle income countries around the world.
Internal documents show the scheme’s promoters say the programme is struggling from a lack of funds, supply risks and complex contractual arrangements.
It aims to deliver at least two billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021 to cover 20 per cent of the most vulnerable people in 91 countries, mostly in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
But the internal documents show the scheme’s promoters say the programme is struggling from a lack of funds, supply risks and complex contractual arrangements.
All of these could make it impossible to achieve their goals.
The report says the risk of failure is higher because the scheme was set up so quickly, operating in quote “uncharted territory”.
The WHO did not respond to a request for comment.
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