Vaccine Nationalism will not stop COVID; WHO Director-General

By Rahul Vaimal, Associate Editor
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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a recent media briefing

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned rich nations not to engage in ‘Vaccine Nationalism’ suggesting that if wealthier countries keep treatments and vaccines reserved for themselves they cannot expect to remain safe if poor countries remain exposed. 

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked that more affluent nations should also show interest to help every country protect itself against the disease.

WHO Director-General said that vaccine nationalism is not good, it will not help the world.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in the US, via video-link from the WHO’s headquarters in Geneva, Dr. Ghebreyesus said, “For the world to recover faster, it has to recover together, because it’s a globalized world: the economies are intertwined. Part of the world or a few countries cannot be a safe haven and recover.”

WHO head also said that COVID-19 could be less when those countries who have the funding committed to this.

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic can not be defeated in a divided world and hoped that the US will “reconsider its position” on its decision to withdraw from the world health body.

Earlier in July, the US President had signed an official withdrawal notification from WHO with a 1-year notice period which is valid until July 6, 2021.

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