The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has emphasised the need for fast global vaccination to avert spread of the new variants of COVID-19 that might not respond to the available vaccines.
Dr Penninah Lutung, Bureau Chief of AHF Africa, made the call during a World (VOW) Pan African Virtual Panel Discussion, hosted by AHF, the largest global AIDS organisation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AHF is transferring know-how learnt from the fight against HIV to the war against COVID-19.
The digital campaign of #VaccinateOurWorld and #vownow is calling on world leaders to take action to vaccinate the world against COVID-19.
Lutung said: “If the whole world is not vaccinated, Africa, along with all developing countries, runs the risk of becoming a breeding ground for new variants.
“The risk is ever-present that if vaccines aren’t administered fast enough, new variants of COVID-19 will emerge that will not respond to the vaccines available.
“World leaders must promote far greater international cooperation as the driving force for ending the pandemic, not continue with politics as usual,” he explained.
Meanwhile, a “Take Note’’ by the meeting said that the discussion raised the salient point of genomics, an important means of studying and understanding the mutation and evolution of COVID-19 and the consequent effect on vaccines.
Also, discussions around morals gained through the wavering of intellectual property around antiretrovirals (ART) therapy for HIV infection were also discussed.
According to it, intensive research will go a long way in the better management of COVID-19.
“During the (2013 – 2016) Western African Ebola virus epidemic, the genetic data gathered allowed a better response to the outbreak.
“ An action that ultimately led to the establishment of the Africa Centre of Pandemic Disease – the Africa CDC.
“The war against COVID-19 could use research facilities already available in Africa would help with real-time action today.
“Removing Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) and transferring tech and know-how will enable the better management of vaccines and reduce the threat of the COVID pandemic considerably,’’ it said. (NAN)
