South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday accused rich countries of “hoarding” coronavirus vaccinesAlso read: Airlifted COVID-19 vaccines to 9 countries, will gradually supply to WHO’s COVAX facility: India at U.N.“The rich countries of the world went out and acquired large doses of vaccines from developers and manufacturers, and some countries have even gone beyond and acquired four times what their population needs,” he said. “There’s just no need for a country, which perhaps has 40 million people, to acquire 120 million doses or even 160 million,” the President said. “We, realising how all richest countries in the world are behaving in acquisition of vaccines, set up a vaccine access task team in Africa and have been marginally successful. “But we need those who have hoarded the vaccines to release (them) so that other countries could have them,” the President said. Mr. Ramaphosa said all countries have to act together in combating coronavirus as it affects everyone equally.

Source: The Hindu January 27, 2021 02:02 UTC