But a well respected and dedicated former head of state with the ability to encourage and cajole prime ministers and presidents might have more success in encouraging countries to behave more equitably. No one may be able to persuade countries to cease these deals entirely. COVAX will continue to face competition for purchasing doses and risks being outbid it can only bemoan such agreements. As a result, dozens of countries have yet to administer a single dose, whereas others have already immunised large proportions of their populations. Olivier Wouters and colleagues report that polities representing only 16% of the global population have secured 70% of the available doses for the five leading vaccines in 2021. Rich nations have given money to COVAX and paid lip service to the idea of vaccines for all while scrambling to buy up all the doses they can. As outlined in a Health Policy paper, the many bilateral deals struck between governments and vaccine manufacturers, independently of COVAX, threaten the supply of doses. There is a startling lack of solidarity between countries. A high-level individual or group with political acumen, technical competency, and the ability to advocate for justice is needed to galvanise the effort. Too many obstacles are going unchallenged. Global vaccination is central to ending the pandemic, yet it has been dealt with at far too low a political level. Yet COVAX is wholly unequipped to resolve many of the most pressing threats to its mission. As of March 9, 12 million doses have been shipped to 29 countries, marking the beginning of the largest vaccine roll-out in history. On March 1, they celebrated the first vaccinations against COVID-19 in Africa delivered through COVAX-the scheme led by GAVI, CEPI, and WHO to support research and development, raise funding, and negotiate the bulk purchase and equitable global distribution of vaccines for COVID-19. Global health leaders have been in a congratulatory mood.
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