On the 9th of November 2020, Pfizer announced its vaccine trial results link, showing its effectiveness in preventing contraction of the virus. Other pharmaceutical companies followed shortly in reporting similar results. Developed nations ordered enough vaccines to cover their populations several times over. Canada e.g. ordered as many as 8 vaccines per person, leaving little left for poor nations in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia.
African nations have not been able to get access to the vaccines they need, the few countries that have been able to do so, did it through the COVAX1 program. As of May this year, only 1.4% of Africans had received some form of vaccination compared to 29% in Europe and 35% in North America. In total 670million vaccines have been allocated for Africa Union countries, the issue is one of timing, while many developed nations will be fully vaccinated at some point this year, it may take Africa until 2023.
Other logistical issues causing delays are a lack of funds, trained professionals and hesitancy among the population to get the vaccine. The Serum Institute of India has stopped shipping vaccines, as authorities in India have placed a ban on exports due to a large domestic outbreak of COVID-19 cases. In early May, D.R Congo returned 1.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines, which it had received through COVAX, because it did not believe it could distribute them before their expiration date.
The reasons for these disparities are very simple, developed nations gave billions in research grants to these pharmaceutical companies and in return were not just first in line to receive the vaccines, but also able to buy at reduced prices.
The European Union financially supported BioNTech and Pfizer vaccine and have obtained a 25% discount. The Moderna vaccine’s development was subsidised by the US government, they get 21% discount. The British Medical Journal has a good overview of all the prices and exact source of funding.
Why have african nations not done the same?
The short answer is that African authorities did not (or were unable to) mobilise the same strategy and provide funding for domestic companies to develop an effective vaccine. Below are quotes from two reputable African scientists to explain.
We have the human resources, we have the know-how; we have the intellectual capacity, but we don’t have the political will to mobilise the resources to make it happen.” I believes that a preference to buy imported vaccines rather than develop and produce them is a legacy of colonisation. “For Africans, anything that comes from overseas is best.” Dr. Happi from the ACEGID, which is a World Health Organization and Africa CDC laboratory for genomic research in Africa.
Many research facilities across Africa are funded majorly by the western countries and this means that most of the research agenda is dictated by these countries and not African countries. African technological innovations are being undermined or discouraged while creating a market for western-led innovations/products. Gerald Mboowa, a bioinformatics researcher at the Makerere University in Uganda and infectious disease specialist. Read more here.
The World Trade Organisation proposed a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, as well as transfer of technology and know how. To ensure poor nations can manufacture domestically, and speed up vaccination rates. While the Biden administration supports these efforts, the EU firmly opposes it, so does Pfizer. Despite valid arguments against this initiative, it is a very sensible idea for one simple reason; no economy can recover fully from the COVID-19 pandemic until vaccines are equally accessible in all countries.
According a study form the ICC2, the global economy stands to lose as much as $9.2 trillion if governments fail to ensure developing economy access to COVID-19 vaccines. Half of this cost would fall on developed nations. Strikingly it would cost developed nations $27billion to cover the funding shortfall for COVAX and ensure poor nations also receive adequate cover. Further it will be the economies and sectors with a high degree of international exposure will bear the brunt of economic losses.
The below graphic shows trade links between developed and developing nation.
Conclusion:
Firstly given a potential loss of $9.2 trillion, even if the likelihood is very low, i would rather pay $27billion now. Maybe that is why i am not a decision maker in these instances and instead write newsletters :-)
While i do not believe that the intellectual property waiver will be the ultimate solution to this health problem, i do believe it would be one less hurdle to climb for poor nations. While there is the some capacity develop vaccines in Africa, as has been done for years now, logistically most countries would need many years before they can produce vaccines at large scale for domestic consumption.
I think small and simple steps such as limiting the number of vaccines (beyond population) developed nations can access would be a start. Further increasing grants to COVAX from developed nation authorities under the guise of pandemic relief program would also help.
My last point would be for African governments to increase efforts in finding local and creative solutions by hook or by crook, yes i know it’s easier said than done but is true.
Appendix:
Link to above table.
COVAX, the World Health Organisation’s multilateral vaccine distribution programme, has set aside 600 million doses for Africa, enough to vaccinate a quarter of the continent’s 1.2 billion population.
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Research Foundation. Access full paper under: https://iccwbo.org/publication/the-economic-case-for-global-vaccinations
Great post - the data point about DRC returning vaccines is very frustrating. I think the story of COVID vaccines in Africa (from the 2025 view) further shows how important infrastructure development will be for GDP growth / health improvements in SSA over the next 25+ years.
With Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca etc is there a limit to how many developed nations are allowed?
It’s very frustrating that Africa is not allowed to create its own but rather depend on this COVAX grant to get the vaccine