White House coronavirus adviser Deborah Birx has called on the international Covid-19 vaccine financing vehicle, Covax, to consider expanding its financial support to upper-middle-income countries such as SA that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, reports Business Day.
The US is a significant and influential contributor to a variety of international health agencies, and a change to the rules used by Gavi to determine which countries are eligible for subsidised vaccines could provide much-needed relief to SA, as the coronavirus crisis has caused a sharp contraction in the economy and precipitated a decline in tax revenue.
"There are upper-middle-income countries that have suffered significant economic shocks because of Covid-19 and its devastation. We may need to really look at Gavi eligibility to be able to support countries to have access to Covid vaccination in this time of economic instability," said Birx.
"When we look at Sub-Saharan Africa, certainly South Africa disproportionately experienced a more significant Covid-19 pandemic and will need additional support," she said.
[link url="https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2020-12-02-us-coronavirus-adviser-calls-for-sa-to-get-vaccine-relief/"]Full Business Day report (Subscription required)[/link]