WHO's Tedros Challenges All Countries to Ensure COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout by April 7

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2021) World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday challenged all WHO member states to make COVID-19 vaccines available to the population by April 7, when World Health Day is celebrated, as a sign of hope for beating the global pandemic.

"My challenge to all Member States is to ensure that by the #WorldHealthDay (7 April), #COVID19 vaccines are being administered in every country as a symbol of hope for overcoming both the pandemic & the inequalities that lie at the root of so many health challenges," Tedros said at a session of WHO's Executive board, as quoted by the global health body in its Twitter account.

Many countries around the world have already launched COVID-19 vaccination programs, including Russia, the US, the UK, India, China, Israel, all member states of the European Union, most nations in the Persian Gulf and several countries in South America.

Tedros also said that "it's not right" that young, healthy adults in rich countries receive COVID-19 vaccine shots before health workers and the elderly in poorer countries. The WHO director-general mentioned that nearly 40 million vaccine doses have been administered in 49 richer countries and not even 100 in low-income countries.