As the pace of shots arriving in Africa finally picks up, the world’s least inoculated continent is facing another problem: syringe shortages.
Much like vaccines, Africa makes almost no syringes, with most imported from Asia and Europe. Dose donations are now surpassing the availability of the tools needed to get shots in arms, according to Phionah Atuhebwe, the World Health Organization’s new vaccines introduction medical officer.
UNICEF expects a shortfall of as many as 2.2 billion auto-disable syringes for both Covid-19 immunizations and routine vaccines in 2022. That includes the version needed to dispense the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, with shortages of the 0.3-milliliter syringe expected until at least the first quarter of next year. Of the handful of African nations that do make syringes, none produce the type needed for the Pfizer vaccine.
Less than 6% of Africans are fully vaccinated, making the continent’s target of 40% coverage by year-end unlikely to be reached. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has warned that countries on the continent will continue to go from wave to wave unless inoculations are ramped up.
Experts have called for an increase in the local production of syringes in Africa, but like vaccines, this will take time. The current situation can best be compared with the personal protective gear shortage seen at the start of the pandemic.