Africa is set to miss the urgent global of vaccinating the most vulnerable 10% of every country's population against COVID-19 by the end of September. Forty-two of Africa's 54 nations-nearly 80%, are set to miss the target if the current pace of vaccine deliveries and vaccinations hold, new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows.
Nine African countries, including South Africa, Morocco and Tunisia, have already reached the global target set in May by the World Health Assembly, the world's highest health policy-setting body. At the current pace, three more African countries are set to meet the target. Two more could meet it if they speed up vaccinations.
"With less than a month to go, this looming goal must concentrate minds in Africa and globally. Vaccine hoarding has held Africa back and we urgently need more vaccines, but as more doses arrive, African countries must zero in and drive forward precise plans to rapidly vaccinate the millions of people that still face a grave threat from COVID-19", said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Almost 21 million COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Africa via the COVAX Facility in August, an amount equal to the previous four months combined. With more vaccines expected from COVAX and the African Union by the end of September, we could see enough doses delivered to meet the 10% target.
While many African countries have sped up COVID-19 vaccinations as vaccine shipments ramped up in August, 26 countries have used less than half of their COVID-19 vaccines.
Over 143 million doses have been received in Africa in total and 39 million people, around just 3% of Africa's population, are fully vaccinated. In comparison, 52% of people are fully vaccinated in the United States of America and 57% in the European Union.