Canada should give surplus doses to poorer countries, say global vaccine alliance and WHO – CBC

‘There is a fundamental injustice here.’ — José Manuel Barroso of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Jun 03, 2021

The chair of the international alliance that co-manages the COVAX vaccine-sharing program is urging wealthy nations to donate surplus doses to developing countries.

Canada this week doubled its direct cash commitment to COVAX to help buy COVID-19 vaccines for the global sharing program — but it isn’t sending any doses, despite pleas from officials for help.

Former Portuguese prime minister José Manuel Barroso is the chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which co-leads COVAX. He told guest host David Common on CBC News Network’s Power & Politics that while he understands governments were focused on protecting their own citizens when the pandemic began, they have a larger responsibility to the world now.

“What we are now doing is asking those who have surplus doses to share them as well, because there is a fundamental injustice here,” Barroso said.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/gavi-covax-vaccines-pandemic-1.6052456