Paul Kagame denounces “hypocrisy” in vaccine supply

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has criticized wealthy countries for hoarding Coronavirus vaccines at a time when other countries are struggling to start vaccination.

Paul Kagame denounces “hypocrisy” in the supply of Coronavirus vaccines at a time when other countries are struggling to start vaccination. His comments contained in a tweet were in reaction to a submission by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization.

Tedros Ghebreyesus was explaining how agreements between some high-income countries and Covid-19 vaccine makers undermine the WHO-led COVAX initiative by reducing the number of doses it can buy. “This is hypocrisy & double standards we have always talked about. Just one of the many and consequential examples!!!” Paul Kagame tweeted.

Rwanda was one of the first African countries to start its Covid-19 vaccination program. With vaccines from the American manufacturer Moderna, the first phase targeted health workers and people with co-morbidities.

A number of African countries are awaiting shipments from different sources. Among others, Sinopharm in China, Sputnik V in Russia, AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson in the United Kingdom, and Pfizer and Moderna in the United States.

The African Union Vaccine Acquisition Task Force is an umbrella organization that seeks to help countries get vaccinated. The other main body is the COVAX facility run by WHO. Some countries also purchase doses directly from manufacturers.