30/06/21

‘We needed the vaccines yesterday’

Receiving covax vaccine. Copyright: UNICEF Ethiopia, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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<h1>‘We needed the vaccines yesterday’</h1>
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<p>COVID-19 cases have been surging in Africa since the onset of a third wave in May. The World Health Organization is urging wealthy countries to send vaccine supplies to the continent. But, the health body also reports that some countries in Africa are facing distribution challenges and have doses that are at immediate risk of expiration.</p>
<p>This week, <em>Africa Science Focus</em> investigates why Sub-Saharan Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage for the first dose remains at one per cent.  Our reporter Charles Pensulo speaks to Richard Mihigo from the WHO, Sophie Everest at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and president of the Society of Medical Doctors in Malawi, Victor Mithi.</p>
<p>And, Mathews Malata, president of the Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi, answers this week’s question, which comes from Stella in Lagos.</p>
<p>Send us your questions from anywhere in the world — text or voice message via WhatsApp to +254799042513.</p>
<p><strong><em>Africa Science Focus</em></strong><strong>, with Michael Kaloki.</strong></p>
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<p><em style="font-family: CaeciliaCom-55Roman, TimesNewRoman, serif; font-size: 18px;">This programme was funded by the European Journalism Centre, through the European Development Journalism Grants programme, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.</em></p>
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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/africa-science-focus/we-needed-the-vaccines-yesterday/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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COVID-19 cases have been surging in Africa since the onset of a third wave in May. The World Health Organization is urging wealthy countries to send vaccine supplies to the continent. But, the health body also reports that some countries in Africa are facing distribution challenges and have doses that are at immediate risk of expiration.

This week, Africa Science Focus investigates why Sub-Saharan Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage for the first dose remains at one per cent. Our reporter Charles Pensulo speaks to Richard Mihigo from the WHO, Sophie Everest at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and president of the Society of Medical Doctors in Malawi, Victor Mithi.

And, Mathews Malata, president of the Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi, answers this week’s question, which comes from Stella in Lagos.

Send us your questions from anywhere in the world — text or voice message via WhatsApp to +254799042513.

Africa Science Focus, with Michael Kaloki.

This programme was funded by the European Journalism Centre, through the European Development Journalism Grants programme, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.