Vaccine Inequality: Who is to Blame?

On 18th January 2021, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the world that; "The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure – and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries." This was in an appeal to the global nations to work together in ensuring that all nations get a share of the vaccines. His sentiments are now making sense more than any other time.

The issue of vaccine inequality have become more pronounced in the recent past with a particular focus on Africa as a continent. While advanced global economies like the USA, Canada, France, and Israel among others have vaccinated over 50% of their populations, Africa has vaccinated about 1% of its population only with some countries yet to roll out vaccination programs.

In most African countries, like is the case with Kenya, focus and emphasis had to be placed on vulnerable groups. Even then, a majority of those who got their first dose are yet to get the second one due to vaccine scarcity.

While there are several factors contributing to this, Africa is in a crisis of its own making. We have seen African leaders lament of how unfair the distribution of vaccines is and even blamed developed economies of overstocking the much needed vaccines. Although the first world economies are to blame partially for using their power and influence to scramble for the vaccines, African governments should shoulder the largest portion of the blame.

The beggar mentality that has driven our continent for decades is gloriously manifesting itself in the most un-opportune time. When the pandemic struck, common sense would have it that third world governments would adjust their spending plans or budgets to heavily lean in boosting health infrastructure and source for vaccines at whatever cost. But what did they do even after seeing the ravaging effects of the disease in other parts of the world? Nothing. The budgets were as usual as if nothing was happening.

African governments literally buried their heads under the sand hoping the rest of the body wouldn’t be rained on. They knew that they would approach the global vaccine table with a begging bowl rather than cash to acquire vaccines. They had expectations that their big brothers would have mercy on them. The begging and entitlement mentality of African governments is what is costing Africa. Unless we change this approach, we will forever remain groping in the dark.

We should blame ourselves and our governments for where we are as the African continent. America, Europe and other developed nations owe us nothing in as far as vaccines are concerned. When there is meat to be divided, those with knives enjoy the best cuts; Africa must arise and sharpen its knives now, otherwise it will feed on skin and intestines waiting to borrow knives from the first world.