Can vaccines alone improve access to vaccination?

The current support is commendable but far from what the people needed

Most recently, the developed countries of the West were also severely affected by the COVID pandemic. Millions of people died from the disease, and many million have been infected with the virus as of today. However, thanks to their resources, only a handful, if any, will die from the disease in the developed countries of the West today or tomorrow. But in Africa, where there is no vaccine production industries or expensive anti-viral drugs, the pandemic continues to spread, devouring millions on its path. In our country, with the recent political instability, conflict and war, where the majority of the people live on less than a dollar a day, drugs that cost a dollar a day remain only a dream for most of COVID victims. The recent move from western countries to improve vaccine access in Africa is commendable. Obviously this is not enough. African and other low and middle income countries need much more than that.

There are still educational, administrative and infrastructure obstacles which must be overcome if these vaccines are to be effectively used. Even if the high-income countries gave away the vaccines, we’d still have an education problem; we'd still have a testing problem, and we’d still have a delivery problem Most of the countryside, where more than eighty percent of our population live, is inaccessible to easy transport. The vast majority do not own radios, not to speak of television sets. The majority are illiterate and are resistant to ideas that in any way encroach on their beliefs and ways of life.

The number of ICU beds, mechanical ventilators, oxygen production/distribution outlets and availability of respiratory supplies are becoming a daydream, not only for the poor, but also for the rich. But lack of money is not the only problem. The vaccine may be made available to the market by the tons without ever solving the problem.

A successful attack on the COVID pandemic calls for a radical change in the lifestyle of and value systems of people. Instability, political unrest, conflict and climate affected drought are prominent everywhere in low and middle income countries. People life style due to poverty or lack of education is another important element that needs intervention.  Where such practices as religious place gatherings, and a host of other unsanitary practices linked with people's religious beliefs exist, the pandemic is hard to control. Recent attempts, for example, to convince people of the value of getting vaccinated and wearing masks were received with hostile responses in many parts of countries. Surprisingly, despite the afflictions of the COVID pandemic, and so many other diseases, and natural disasters, the population continues to grow which needs intervention too. With the continuous growth of population and the emergence of epidemics and global pandemic we as a region is suffering a lot with direct and indirect cost of poor health care delivery. During the COVID pandemic as a country the health sector have done and doing a fabulous job even though there are a number of challenges faced. The effort made by African countries to control COVID pandemic is terrific and needs global recognition.

This time in addition to vaccine donation low and middle income country should access resources for free like vaccine production scientific knowledge and resources have to be available for free as a global public health goods? Drug, equipment and supplies production specification should be made available as open source for the country to start local production and embrace learning.

Countries needs a financial donation along with the vaccines to roll out the vaccination programs. The country needs technical and technology support to make sure that vaccines are safely kept and transported to delivery site and administered to fellow citizens. These countries needs support in terms of information technology to record every COVID vaccine related information and contribute to the global health decision making process.

The current support is commendable but far from what the people needed

Can vaccines alone improve access to vaccination?