The World Health Organization on Monday warned that the world was on the brink of a “catastrophic moral failure” because of unequal access to coronavirus vaccines. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that vaccines had become “another brick in the wall of inequality” between the rich and poor countries.

“It’s right that all governments want to prioritise vaccinating their own health workers and older people first,” he said during a session of the global health body’s executive board. “But it’s not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries.”

The WHO chief added that the promise of equitable vaccine distribution was at serious risk just as vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX prepared to begin supplying inoculations next month. “Even as they speak the language of equitable access, some countries and companies continue to prioritise bilateral deals, going around COVAX, driving up prices and attempting to jump to the front of the queue,” he said. “This is wrong. 44 bilateral deals were signed last year, and at least 12 have already been signed this year.”

Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that most vaccine manufacturers were giving priority to regulatory approval in rich countries, where the profits were the highest. “This could delay COVAX deliveries and create exactly the scenario COVAX was designed to avoid, with hoarding, a chaotic market, an uncoordinated response, and continued social and economic disruption,” he said.

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The WHO chief highlighted how glaring the unequal access to vaccines was. “More than 39 [3.9 crore] million doses of vaccine have now been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries,” he said. “Just 25 doses have been given in one lowest-income country. Not 25 million; not 25 thousand; just 25.”

Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the “me-first” approach adopted by certain countries was self-defeating. “Ultimately, these actions will only prolong the pandemic, the restrictions needed to contain it and human and economic suffering,” he said.

Several countries in the world have begun inoculating their citizens against the coronavirus. India began its massive vaccination drive last week.

Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 9.55 crore people and killed over 20.39 lakh, according to John Hopkins University. Over 5.26 crore people have recovered from the infection in the world.

Expert panel criticises WHO, China’s initial response to pandemic

Meanwhile, an independent panel investigating the global response to the pandemic said that WHO and China should have acted faster in the initial stages of the coronavirus outbreak, BBC reported. It was headed by former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

The panel criticised WHO for being late in declaring the outbreak a global emergency. It added that Beijing should have acted more strongly to contain the outbreak in Wuhan.

“The global pandemic alert system is not fit for purpose,” the panel said it its report. “The World Health Organization has been underpowered to do the job.”