The health crisis reveals how unequal our societies and the prevailing injustices are, the UN head stressed in his message to date.
Currently, he warned, the vast majority of vaccine doses administered have been in a few wealthy countries or those producing vaccines authorized for distribution.
Within countries, illness and death from Covid-19 has been higher among people and communities that contend with poverty, unfavorable living and working conditions, and suffer discrimination and social exclusion, Guterres stressed.
Thanks to the Covax initiative, an international effort backed by the UN to provide vaccines globally, more nations are receiving vaccine supplies to fight the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, he added.
But most people in low- and middle-income countries still must watch and wait, the Portuguese diplomat said.
‘Such inequities are immoral, and they are dangerous for our health, our economies and our societies.’
As we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, we must implement policies and allocate resources so all can enjoy the same health outcomes, the UN secretary-general stated.
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