Plan to unite the world one vaccine at a time

INTERNATIONAL advocacy organisation Global Citizen is drawing attention to the need to vaccinate, end Covid-19 and kick-start economic recovery for the world through Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, featuring top international artists. The initiative will focus on aiding African countries with the vaccine roll-outs.

The organisation is calling on world leaders to ensure the equitable distribution of vaccines around the world.

UN deputy secretary-general Amina Mohammed said the world would not see an end to the devastating effects of the pandemic, and the shutdown of economies, without access to the people’s vaccine.

“To get this done, it is imperative that more resources are made available, that surplus from wealthier nations is shared immediately with front-line workers in lower income countries, and that the production of vaccines is accelerated.

“Considerable efforts have been made by the AU envoy, and it will take even greater international co-ordination and closer collaboration over the coming months to ensure that vaccines are made available to the world’s vulnerable people.”

With support from the World Health Organization (WHO); European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen; Prime Minister of Italy and G20 chair Mario Draghi and Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez; President Cyril Ramaphosa; Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg; Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez; and the State of California, the special – hosted by multi-platinum recording artist, actress and producer Selena Gomez – will include a night of musical performances by Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin and H.E.R. The artists will be performing live, during a large-scale vaccination drive hosted on the grounds of SoFi Stadium in California, US.

Ramaphosa has pledged his support for the concert.

“South Africa is fully behind this initiative, to be part of a collective effort to recover after the devastating pandemic. The ‘Recovery Plan for the World’ is a good opportunity to get the international community working together, to drive equitable access to vaccines for everyone, everywhere. Again, I urge world leaders to urgently free up excess supply for poorer countries. Today, the world is facing an unprecedented health, social and economic crisis. Now is the time to act in the interests of the whole world, now is the time to become truly global citizens,” he said.

Most African countries will not have enough coronavirus vaccine doses to vaccinate at least 60% of their populations this year, which is what is needed to achieve herd immunity and defeat the virus. As a result, up to 49 million more African people could be pushed into poverty in 2021. As part of Vax Live, Global Citizen is campaigning to support the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator initiative, including Covax, a vaccine-sharing programme co-led by the WHO, to ensure that lower-income countries can access enough Covid-19 vaccines to safeguard their citizens.

“WHO is pleased to be partnering with Global Citizen in the fight against Covid-19,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general.

“Throughout the response to the pandemic, we have been grateful for the efforts and commitment shown by global citizens, health advocates and change-makers around the world, to advocate for vaccine equity to protect the most vulnerable people everywhere. WHO will continue to work closely with all nations and partners to help manage potential risks, and use science and data to drive a targeted global response.”

Global Citizen is calling on governments, companies and philanthropists to pledge the remaining $21.1 billion the ACT-Accelerator needs to get two billion vaccine doses, as well as tests and treatments, to countries that need them by the end of 2021.

The Vax Live global broadcast and streaming special airs on May 8.