Last July, UNCTAD estimated that the standstill in international tourism would cost the global economy between $1.2 trillion and $3.3 trillion. 

The steep drop in tourist arrivals worldwide in 2020 resulted in a $2.4 trillion economic hit, the report said, and a similar figure is expected this year depending on the uptake in COVID-19 vaccines. 

Global vaccination plan crucial 

“The world needs a global vaccination effort that will protect workers, mitigate adverse social effects and make strategic decisions regarding tourism, taking potential structural changes into account,” said Isabelle Durant, the UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General. 

“Tourism is a lifeline for millions, and advancing vaccination to protect communities and support tourism’s safe restart is critical to the recovery of jobs and generation of much-needed resources, especially in developing countries, many of which are highly dependent on international tourism,” the UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili added. 

Developing countries hit hard 

International tourist arrivals declined by about 1 billion, or 73 per cent, last year, while in the first quarter of 2021 the drop was around 88 per cent, the report said. 

Developing countries have borne the brunt of the pandemic’s impact on tourism, with estimated reductions in arrivals of between 60 per cent and 80 per cent. 

They have also been hurt by vaccine inequity.  The agencies said the “asymmetric roll-out” of COVID-19 vaccines has magnified the economic blow to the tourism sector in these nations, as they could account for up to 60 per cent of global GDP losses. 

Rebound amid losses 

It is expected that tourism will recover faster in countries with high vaccination rates, such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

However, international tourist arrivals will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023 or later, due to barriers such as travel restrictions, slow containment of the virus, low traveller confidence and a poor economic environment.  

While a tourism rebound is anticipated in the second half of this year, the report expects a loss of between $1.7 trillion and $2.4 trillion in 2021, based on simulations which exclude stimulation programmes and similar policies. 

Likely outcomes 

The authors outline three possible scenarios for the tourism sector this year, with the most pessimistic reflecting a 75 per cent reduction in international arrivals. 

This scenario sees a drop in global tourist receipts of nearly $950 billion, which would cause a loss in real GDP of $2.4 trillion, while the second reflects a 63 per cent reduction in international tourist arrivals. 

The third considers varying rates of domestic and regional tourism.  It assumes a 75 per cent reduction in tourism in countries where vaccine rates are low, and 37 per cent reduction in countries with relatively high vaccination levels, mainly developed countries and some smaller economies.

To regulate and govern AI, WHO published new guidance that provides six principles to limit the risks and maximize the opportunities intrinsic to AI for health. 

Governing AI 

WHO’s Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health report points out that AI can be and, in some wealthy countries is already being, used to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis and screening for diseases; assist with clinical care; strengthen health research and drug development; and support diverse public health interventions, including outbreak response and health systems management. 

AI could also empower patients to take greater control of their own health care and enable resource-poor countries to bridge health service access gaps. 

However, the report cautions against overestimating its benefits for health, especially at the expense of core investments and strategies required to achieve universal health coverage. 

Challenges abide 

WHO’s new report points out that opportunities and risks are linked and cautions about unethical collection and use of health data, biases encoded in algorithms, and risks to patient safety, cybersecurity and the environment.   

Moreover, it warns that systems trained primarily on data collected from individuals in high-income countries may not perform well for individuals in low- and middle-income settings.  

Against this backdrop, WHO upholds that AI systems must be carefully designed to reflect the diversity of socio-economic and health-care settings and be accompanied by digital skills training and community engagement. 

This is especially important for healthcare workers requiring digital literacy or retraining to contend with machines that could challenge the decision-making and autonomy of providers and patients. 

Guiding principles 

Because people must remain in control of health-care systems and medical decisions, the first guiding principle is to protect human autonomy. 

Secondly, AI designers should safeguard privacy and confidentiality by providing patients with valid informed consent through appropriate legal frameworks. 

To promote human well-being and public interest, the third principle calls for AI designers to ensure regulatory requirements for safety, accuracy and efficacy, including measures of quality control. 

As part of transparency and understanding, the fourth principle requires information to be published or documented before the AI technology is designed or deployed.  

Although AI technologies perform specific tasks, they must be used responsibly, under suitable conditions by appropriately trained people, which is the fourth principle.  

The fifth is to ensure inclusiveness and equity so that AI for health is accessible to the widest possible number of people, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity or other characteristics protected under human rights codes. 

The final principle urges designers, developers and users to transparently assess applications during actual use to determine whether AI responds adequately and appropriately to expectations and requirements.  

Follow the Convention 

They upheld that the Convention against Torture (CAT) provides for reparations for blatant human rights violations and to restore dignity. 

“It is particularly important that Governments respect and uphold the right to redress”, they said, adding that authorities should ensure that medical and other professionals who treat victims of torture, can carry out their work unhindered. 

The same guarantees should also be given to civil society organizations and rights defenders so that they can carry out the vital work of documenting torture and supporting the rehabilitation of victims, the rights experts said. 

The term “rehabilitation” includes adequate medical psychological, social and other relevant specialized treatment. 

Combat reprisals  

The UN experts warned in 2012 that victims of torture face reprisals for complaining or cooperating with the UN.  

“Since then the trend of reported reprisals and severity against individuals and groups specifically for engaging with the UN has increased”, they attested.    

CAT, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and the Special Rapporteur on Torture have all adopted measures to address retaliation and reprisals against civil society organizations combatting torture and helping victims. 

‘Vital’ civic space 

Last year, Secretary-General António Guterres adopted a Call to Action for Human Rights that makes civic space a priority area and issued the UN Guidance Note: Protection and Promotion of Civic Space. 

In their statement, the experts advocated for civic space as “vital” in preventing and combatting torture and safeguarding the rights of those who have been persecuted and ill-treated. 

“We urge States to uphold the absolute and universal prohibition against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and to enable a conducive environment for redress and rehabilitation for victims of torture, and for civil society to operate freely”, they said. 

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. They are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. 

Click here for the names of the three experts.

“These were the ones who were healthy enough to make it”, he added.  

Climate change factor 

Southern Madagascar is experiencing its worst drought in four decades with more than 1.14 million people food insecure, the top UN official said in a statement, from a nutrition centre in the region.  

Of those, an estimated 14,000 people are already in catastrophic conditions, known as IPC Phase 5, which will double by October. 

“There have been back-to-back droughts in Madagascar which have pushed communities right to the very edge of starvation”, he explained.  

Drawing attention to suffering families and people dying from severe hunger, he spelled out that “this is not because of war or conflict, this is because of climate change”.  

While this area of the world has contributed nothing to climate change, they are “paying the highest price”, he added. 

Scavenging 

The gravity of the situation has forced thousands of people to leave their homes to search for food while those remaining barely get by, surviving with measures like foraging for wild food, according to WFP.  

“Families have been living on raw red cactus fruits, wild leaves and locusts for months now”, said the UN official. 

Furthermore, the remote location of many communities, coupled with poor roads, has enabled few aid workers to access the area.  

“We can’t turn our backs on the people living here while the drought threatens thousands of innocent lives”, he underscored. 

Most vulnerable 

WFP said that the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) level in children under-five in Madagascar has almost doubled over the last four months, to an alarming 16.5 per cent.  

And the district of Ambovombe is among the worst affected, where GAM rates of 27 per cent indicate a life-threatening scenario for many children.  

“This is enough to bring even the most hardened humanitarian to tears”, said Mr. Beasley.  

Holding back the tide  

Since late last year, WFP has been working closely with the Malagasy Government and other partners to address severe hunger.  

However, as the crisis deepens, those efforts must be intensified.  

Last week the WFP chief met with the Prime Minister Christian Ntsay and senior officials, to identify immediate and long-term solutions to this crisis.  

To help stop a preventable tragedy from unfolding before our eyes, WFP said, the agency needs $78.6 million dollars to provide lifesaving food for the next lean season.  

“Now is the time to stand up, act and keep supporting the Malagasy Government to hold back the tide of climate change and save lives’’, urged Mr. Beasley. 

Based on a set of eight global benchmarks, Global Standards for Health-promoting Schools, calls for all classrooms to promote life skills, cognitive and socioemotional skills and healthy lifestyles for learners.   

“These newly launched global standards are designed to create schools that nurture education and health, and that equip students with the knowledge and skills for their future health and well-being, employability and life prospects”, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.  

Linking schools and health 

Clear evidence shows that comprehensive health and nutrition programmes in schools, have significant impacts among students.  

“Schools play a vital role in the well-being of students, families and their communities, and the link between education and health has never been more evident”, Tedros added. 

The new standards, which will be piloted in Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Paraguay, contribute to WHO’s target of making one billion people healthier by 2023 and the global Education 2030 Agenda coordinated by UNESCO.  

“Education and health are interdependent basic human rights for all, at the core of any human right, and essential to social and economic development”, said UNESCO Director General, Audrey Azouley.   

Making the case 

School health and nutrition interventions in low-income areas where impediments such as parasitic worms or anemia are prevalent, can lead to 2.5 years of additional schooling, according to the UN agencies. 

Moreover, malaria prevention interventions can result in a 62 per cent reduction in absenteeism; nutritious school meals upped enrolment rates by nine per cent, and attendance by eight per cent on average; and free screening and eyeglasses have raised the probability of students passing standardized reading and math tests by five per cent.  

And promoting handwashing has cut gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses between 21 and 61 per cent in low income countries, resulting in fewer absentees.  

“A school that is not health-promoting is no longer justifiable and acceptable”, said Ms. Azouley.   

Promote health in schools 

Comprehensive sex education encourages healthier behaviour, promotes sexual and reproductive health and rights, and improves outcomes such as a reduction in HIV infection and adolescent pregnancies, WHO and UNESCO said. 

A school that is not health-promoting is no longer justifiable and acceptable — UNESCO chief

By enhancing water and sanitation (WASH) services and supplies in school, as well as educating on menstrual hygiene, girls can maintain themselves with dignity and may even miss less school while menstruating. 

“I call for all of us to affirm our commitment and role, to make every school a health-promoting school”, underscored the UNESCO chief. 

Upping the standards 

The Health Promoting Schools approach was introduced by WHO, UNESCO and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1995 and adopted in over 90 countries and territories.   

However, only a small number of countries have implemented it at scale, and even fewer have effectively adapted their education systems to include health promotion. 

Earlier this month, humanitarian workers with the Halo Trust demining group, came under attack in northern Afghanistan,  where extremists from an ISIL affiliate killed ten and wounded more than a dozen, in what the UN Security Council described as an “atrocious and cowardly targeted attack”.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, said that he was “appalled by the brutality of these killings” on Tuesday, adding that “the senseless violence must stop”, urging Afghan authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

He said the national campaign which only began on Monday, aimed at reaching nearly 10 million under-fives, had been suspended in the eastern region. “Polio immunization campaigns are a vital and effective way to reach millions of children…Depriving children from an assurance of a healthy life, is inhumane.”

An attack on children

“The UN strongly condemns all attacks on health workers anywhere. The delivery of healthcare is impartial, and any attack against health workers and those who work to defend them, is an attack on the children, whose very lives they are trying to protect”, he added.

The UN extended deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives, wishing the injured a full recovery.

Tedros ‘deeply saddened’

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, tweeted that he was “deeply saddened” by the attacks, adding that “access to essential health service and immunization campaigns should be unimpeded so that communities can be protected.”

According to news reports, Afghanistan reported 56 new cases of polio last year. But officials have reported that only one wild polio virus case has been detected in the country since October last year.

“In the same way the world has rallied to protect the seas and their ecosystems from plastic and microplastic pollution, we need to rally to protect our most valuable resource –the health of our children – from the growing threat of e-waste”, he added. 

A growing pile 

Discarded electronic devices, or e-waste, has become the fastest growing domestic waste category in the world, according to the UN health agency.  

The Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP) said that of the 53.6 million tonnes produced worldwide in 2019, only 17.4 per cent was recorded as collected and appropriately recycled.  

While the fate of the remaining e-waste is unknown, it is unlikely to have been managed and recycled in an environmentally-sound manner.  

Hazards on the heap 

While some e-waste ends up in landfills, significant amounts are often illegally shipped to low and middle-income countries where informal workers, including children and adolescents, pick through, dismantle, or use acid baths to extract valuable metals and materials from the discarded items. 

WHO said that an estimated 12.9 million women who work in the informal waste sector are potentially exposing themselves and their unborn children to toxic residue. 

Additionally, more than 18 million youngsters globally – and some as young as five – are said to be “actively engaged” in the wider industrial sector, of which e-waste processing is a small part.  

‘Devastating’ impact 

Informal methods of removing materials from e-waste have been linked to a range of health effects, especially in children, WHO said.  

Recycling e-waste particularly impacts those in vital stages of physical and neurological development, with children, adolescents and pregnant women most vulnerable. 

Children are more susceptible to the toxic chemicals because they absorb pollutants relative to their size and, with not-fully-developed organs, are less able than adults to eradicate harmful substances. 

“Improper e-waste management is…a rising issue that many countries do not recognize yet as a health problem”, said WHO lead author, Marie-Noel Brune Drisse, warning that if action is not taken now, “its impacts will have a devastating health effect on children and lay a heavy burden on the health sector in the years to come”.  

Improper e-waste management…a rising issue that many countries do not recognize yet as a health problem — WHO

Call to action  

The Children and Digital Dumpsites report delves into the multiple dimensions of the problem, to practical action that the health sector and others concerned, can take to confront the insidious health risk.  

It calls for binding action by exporters, importers and governments to ensure environmentally sound disposal of e-waste and the health and safety of workers and communities. 

The health sector is also being asked to reduce adverse effects from e-waste by building up capacity to diagnose, monitor and prevent toxic exposure, and to advocate for better data and health research on risks faced by informal e-waste workers. 

“Children and adolescents have the right to grow and learn in a healthy environment, and exposure to electrical and electronic waste and its many toxic components unquestionably impacts that right”, said Maria Neira, WHO Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.  

“The health sector can play a role by providing leadership and advocacy, conducting research, influencing policy-makers, engaging communities, and reaching out to other sectors to demand that health concerns be made central to e-waste policies.”

“These workers lost their jobs in greater numbers or saw their hours of work reduced to a greater extent than other parts of the workforce”, he said, pointing to ILO data showing that the number of domestic workers in the second quarter of 2020 had fallen by 25 to 50 per cent in most Latin American and Caribbean countries – and by 70 per cent in Peru – compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Most European countries, as well as Canada and South Africa saw job shedding among domestic workers range from five to 20 per cent.

Overall, these losses resulted in a 50 per cent decrease in total working hours for the sector, in the 13 of the 20 countries under review, Mr. Ryder continued, before highlighting the disproportionate impact of the crisis on domestic workers.

Private misery

Countries need to take action, because eight in 10 domestic workers are informally employed and therefore lack legal and welfare protection, the ILO chief said.

“Their status inside the country can be called into question if they lose their jobs (and) many domestic workers live in with their employees, so they could lose their lodgings if they lose their jobs as well. So, behind the aggregated numbers there is a sort of deeper human impact which accentuates even more the suffering involved in the latent economic impact of the COVID pandemic.”

In Brazil, which is the second highest employer of domestic workers in the world, almost seven in 10 employees work informally – double the national average.

This meant that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, fewer than 40 per cent of domestic workers had effective access to social security linked to their employment, said ILO report co-author Claire Hobden.

“Given this impact, the need to formalise domestic work in Brazil is incredibly urgent,” she maintained, noting encouraging efforts by domestic workers and employers that fixes “very different labour standards” in Sao Paolo that others could look to, in order to promote a recovery that focuses on society’s most at-risk after the pandemic.

According to ILO, there are at least 75.6 million domestic workers aged 15 and over, amounting to around one in 25 people employed worldwide. Just over three-quarters are women.

By gender, the highest number of female domestic workers are in Latin America and the Caribbean (91 per cent and 89 per cent respectively)

And while women make up the majority of the workforce in Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, by contrast, male domestic workers outnumber their female counterparts in Arab states (63 per cent) and North Africa. In Southern Asia, the split is relatively even.

Accepted Convention

Since the adoption of the landmark 2011 Domestic Workers Convention (No. 189) – ratified by 32 of ILO’s 187 Member States to date – Mr. Ryder welcomed the fact that 16 per cent more workers were now covered by labour law protection.

Nonetheless, 36 per cent of the sector remains “wholly excluded” from such legislation, ILO said, noting that in Asia and the Pacific and the Arab States, “the gaps are largest”.

The UN agency also cautioned that even where domestic workers were covered by labour and social protection laws, a lack of implementation was notable. According to the ILO’s latest report on the issue, just under one in five workers in the sector enjoys effective, employment-related, social protection coverage.

Wider significance

It is important that more countries boost domestic workers’ rights, as they are key part of the wider economy, Mr. Ryder maintained.

“Domestic workers are an essential part of the economic infrastructure that allows households to meet their needs,” he said. “Domestic workers also help their workers and particularly women stay in the labour market. And this benefits us all regardless of our area of work, or where we live.

“And as we work towards policies that can create sustainable and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, we do need to ensure that domestic workers are not left behind, quite the reverse; they need to be brought forward in terms of their working conditions to the levels enjoyed by other parts of the workforce.”

“The number of deaths reported last week was similar to the previous week, and the global decline masks a worrying increase in cases and deaths in many countries”, he explained. 

Africa ‘especially concerning’ 

With the least access to vaccines, diagnostics and oxygen supplies for the critically ill, a steep increase in Africa is “especially concerning”, said the WHO chief. 

A recent Lancet medical journal study showed that despite having fewer reported cases than most other regions, the continent has the highest mortality rate among critically ill COVID-19 patients. 

And evidence suggests new variants have substantially increased transmission globally. 

“That means the risks have increased for people who are not protected, which is most of the world’s population”, he stated. 

 Leading nations must step up 

Currently, the virus is moving faster than global vaccine distributions, according to WHO. 

“At the G7 Summit on Saturday, I said that to end the pandemic, our shared goal must be to vaccinate at least 70 per cent of the world’s population by the time the G7 meets again in Germany next year”, Tedros asserted. 

He said the G7 intergovernmental group and G20 leading industrialized nations had the capacity to provide the 11 billion doses needed, and should “make this happen”. 

Tedros also welcomed the G7’s support for WHO, the ACT Accelerator and a proposed treaty on pandemic preparedness, along with their announcement of 870 million vaccine doses, for less well-off nations, primarily through the UN-backed COVAX equitable shots initiative. 

While “a big help…we need more, and we need them faster”, the UN official said, pointing out that more than 10 thousand lives are being lost every day, adding that “during this press conference alone, more than 420 people will die.” 

Vaccine urgency 

Communities need vaccines “now, not next year”, the WHO chief said. 

There are enough vaccine doses to drive down transmission and save lives globally, “if they are used in the right places, for the right people”, he stated, prioritizing health workers and those most at risk. 

While high vaccination rates in G7 countries have helped bring COVID cases and deaths to near-record lows, most States still rely solely on public health and social measures to keep COVID-19 at bay. 

However new, more transmissible variants mean more stringent measures in low vaccination areas. 

While vaccines have a clear and measurable impact, assessing public health and social measures is tougher as countries use a range of different methods. 

“Disentangling the precise impact of each individual measure can be challenging”, said the WHO chief. 

Moreover effectiveness hinges on the population’s level of adherence and Government’s commitment of support. 

“What matters is not just the measure itself, but how and when it is implemented”, he added. 

Prioritize benefits 

All countries should aim to implement measures to maximize the public health benefit, while minimizing social impact, according to the WHO chief. 

To improve evidence-based effectiveness of public health and social measures, he explained that WHO is collecting data globally on which methods are used and the level at which they are applied. 

“We’re also working with several countries and modelling groups to assess the impact of public health and social measures on transmission…[and] established a new WHO working group…to study the impact of public health and social measures during COVID-19 and other health emergencies”, said Tedros. 

Gift of life: Blood 

Also marking World Blood Donor Day, the UN official noted that throughout the pandemic, donors the world over have given blood “and the gift of life”, to others. 

This year highlights the role of youth in supporting safe and sufficient blood supplies now and in the future with the message to “give blood and keep the world beating”.

Building on the momentum of the G20 Global Health Summit and the Gavi COVAX AMC Summit, in a landmark agreement at the G7 Summit – underway in Cornwall, United Kingdom – the global leaders made the pledge, with the aim of delivering at least half by the end of 2021  

Secretary-General António Guterres had also said that despite “unequal and very unfair” access to inoculations, “it is in the interest of everybody that everybody gets vaccinated sooner rather than later”.  

The G-7 leaders also reaffirmed their support for the UN-led equitable vaccine distribution initiative COVAX, calling it “the primary route for providing vaccines to the poorest countries”. 

Prompt action, please 

The COVAX alliance, meanwhile, welcomed the G7’s commitment, including their continued support for exporting in significant proportions and for promoting voluntary licensing and not-for-profit global production. 

The partners look forward to “seeing doses flowing to countries” as soon as possible.  

COVAX will work with the G7 and other countries that have stepped up to share doses as rapidly and equitably as possible to help address short-term supply constraints currently impacting the global response to COVID-19 and minimize the prospect of future deadly variants. 

“We have reached a grim milestone in this pandemic: There are already more dead from COVID-19 in 2021 than in all of last year”, lamented Ms. Fore. “Without urgent action, this devastation will continue”. 

Aligning interests 

Noting the need for a “ramp up”, in both the amount and pace of supply, the top UNICEF official attested that when it comes to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, “our best interests and our best natures align. This crisis will not be over until it is over for everyone.” 

The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, underscored that many countries are facing a surge in cases, without vaccines.  

“We are in the race of our lives, but it’s not a fair race, and most countries have barely left the starting line”, he said.  

While grateful for the generous announcements of vaccine donations, he stressed, that “we need more, and we need them faster”. 

Time of the essence 

As many high-income countries begin to contemplate post-vaccination life, the future in low-income countries appears quite bleak.  

“We are particularly worried about the surges in South America, Asia and Africa”, said the UNICEF chief. 

Moreover, as the pandemic rages, the virus mutates and produces new variants that could potentially threaten the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike.  

“Donating doses now is smart policy that speaks to our collective best interests”, she continued, adding that in addition to vaccine pledges, “distribution and readiness need clear timelines” as to when they will be available, particularly in countries with poor health infrastructure. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of children, affecting every aspect of their lives: their health, education, protection and future prosperity. Now, more than ever, what we do today will have significant and lasting impact on our collective tomorrows. There is no time to waste”, she concluded. 

Explanations 

The G7 is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, UK and United States. 

COVAX was set up by WHO, GAVI the vaccine alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). It is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to equitably provide COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments and vaccines to all people globally, regardless of their wealth. 

“Inequitable vaccination is a threat to all nations, not just those with the fewest vaccines”, he warned in his latest media briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva. 

‘A mixed picture’ 

As of Monday, there were more than 173 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, including 3.7 million deaths. 

Tedros reported that new cases have dropped for six weeks, and deaths for five weeks.  Despite these “encouraging signs”, he said progress remains “a mixed picture” as last week, deaths rose in Africa, the Americas and the Western Pacific. 

“Increasingly, we see a two-track pandemic: many countries still face an extremely dangerous situation, while some of those with the highest vaccination rates are starting to talk about ending restrictions”, he told journalists. 

Tedros advised caution in lifting restrictions, given the increased global transmission of variants of concern, as consequences could be disastrous for those not yet inoculated. 

Meanwhile, many countries still lack sufficient vaccines.  So far, nearly 44 per cent of doses have been administered in richer countries. In poorer nations, the figure is just 0.4 per cent. 

The United Nations has been pressing governments to share their excess doses to the global vaccine equity initiative, COVAX. Several countries have pledged donations, which Tedros hoped will soon be fulfilled. 

Appeal to G7 leaders 

The WHO chief recently called for a global push to vaccinate at least 10 per cent of the world’s population by September, and 30 per cent by December. Reaching the September target will require an additional 250 million doses, with 100 million needed in June and July alone. 

With the G7 summit taking place this weekend, Tedros issued an appeal to leaders.  

“These seven nations have the power to meet these targets. I am calling on the G7 not just to commit to sharing doses, but to commit to sharing them in June and July”, he said. 

“I also call on all manufacturers to give COVAX first right of refusal on new volume of vaccines, or to commit 50% of their volumes to COVAX this year.” 

Invest in production 

Tedros also highlighted the importance of investing in vaccine production in low income countries, including for routine immunizations.   

He noted that several nations are making progress in this area, following the launch of an African Union partnership for vaccine manufacturing. 

Relatedly, several companies and countries have expressed interest in participating in a WHO plan to establish a technology transfer hub to facilitate global production of mRNA vaccines. A technical review is underway. 

“The biggest barrier to ending the pandemic remains sharing: of doses, of resources, of technology”, Tedros said.

However, those nations which remain most off the grid, are set to enter 2030 without meeting this goal unless efforts are significantly scaled up, warns the new study entitled Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, published by the International Energy Agency (IAE), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), World Bank, and World Health Organization (WHO). 

“Moving towards scaling up clean and sustainable energy is key to protect human health and to promote healthier populations, particularly in remote and rural areas”, said Maria Neira, WHO Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.  

COVID setbacks 

The report outlines significant but unequal progress on SDG7, noting that while more than one billion people globally gained access to electricity over the last decade, COVID’s financial impact so far, has made basic electricity services unaffordable for 30 million others, mostly in Africa.  

“The Tracking SDG7 report shows that 90 per cent of the global population now has access to electricity, but disparities exacerbated by the pandemic, if left unaddressed, may keep the sustainable energy goal out of reach, jeopardizing other SDGs and the Paris Agreement’s objectives”, said Mari Pangestu, Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships at the World Bank. 

While the report also finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed some progress, Stefan Schweinfest, DESA’s Director of the Statistics Division, pointed out that this has presented “opportunities to integrate SDG 7-related policies in recovery packages and thus to scale up sustainable development”. 

Modernizing renewables 

The publication examines ways to bridge gaps to reach SDG7, chief among them the scaling up of renewables, which have proven more resilient than other parts of the energy sector during the COVID-19 crisis. 

While sub-Saharan Africa has the largest share of renewable sources in its energy supply, they are far from “clean” – 85 per cent use biomass, such as burning wood, crops and manure. 

“On a global path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, we can reach key sustainable energy targets by 2030 as we expand renewables in all sectors and increase energy efficiency”, said IAE Executive Director, Fatih Birol.  

And although the private sector continues to source clean energy investments, the public sector remains a major financing source, central in leveraging private capital, particularly in developing countries and in a post-COVID context. 

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has dramatically increased investors’ risk perception and shifting priorities in developing countries, international financial flows in public investment terms, are more critical than ever to leverage the investment levels needed to reach SDG 7, according to the report.   

“Greater efforts to mobilize and scale up investment are essential to ensure that energy access progress continues in developing economies”, he added.  

Scaling up clean and sustainable energy is key to protect human health — WHO’s Maria Neira

Other key targets 

The report highlighted other crucial actions needed on clean cooking, energy efficiency and international financial flows. 

A healthy and green recovery from COVID-19 includes the importance of ensuring a quick transition to clean and sustainable energy”, said Dr. Neira. 

Feeding into autumn summit 

This seventh edition of the report formerly known as the Global Tracking Framework comes at a crucial time as Governments and others are gearing up for the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy in September 2021 aimed to examine what is needed to achieve SDG7 by 2030 and mobilize voluntary commitments and actions through Energy Compacts.  

The report will inform the summit-level meeting on the current progress towards SDG 7, “four decades after the last high-level event dedicated to energy under the auspices of UN General Assembly”, said Mr. Schweinfest. 

Dr. Aylward, who is also Senior Advisor to the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that of those two billion doses, “over 75 per cent” had gone to just 10 countries, notably China, the US and India.

This trio “account for about 60 per cent of those doses”, said Dr Aylward, speaking via Zoom, adding that “at the other end of that spectrum” only about “point five per cent of doses” had reached the lowest income countries, which account for about 10 per cent of world population.

‘Two track recovery’

This had led increasingly to “a two-track recovery”, characterised by the successful rollout of vaccines to high-risk populations and even younger populations in higher income and vaccine-producing countries.

By contrast, “in the lower income countries, they’re still struggling to get sufficient product just to be able to vaccinate the health care workers, older populations, who are really the key to getting out of the health, societal and economic crisis that we’re in the midst of”, Dr. Aylward explained, in an urgent appeal for 250 million doses to protect frontline workers and the most vulnerable people.

“The call is for a quarter of a billion doses through the period through end of September, to be donated, at least 100 million of those in June and July – that’s what we need to get the system going.”

80 million doses from the US

He noted that on Thursday the United States had helped to kickstart the appeal and bolster the UN-partnered equitable vaccine distribution scheme COVAX with the announcement that it intended to donate up to 80 million doses, including an initial 25 million shots, this month. “That’s an important start (but) we need many other countries to be joining and important for the US, crucially, is they said these doses are going to come in June.”

It was “absolutely ridiculous” that some countries were still unable to protect their key workers amid “escalating epidemics” even though vaccines had been available for six months, he said.

Briefing reporters in New York on Friday, the UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric welcomed the announcement made by the Biden administration that it will be sharing millions of vaccine doses with both the COVAX facility as well as bilaterally with countries in particular need.

He said Secretary-General António Guterres was extremely grateful to the US Government for the inclusion of UN personnel and Member States delegates serving in the US, in its national vaccination programme, “and for the generous offer to provide vaccines for United Nations frontline personnel serving in the most challenging and dangerous locations around the world.”

“The Secretary-General renews his call to the international community to come together to address the unprecedented challenge of this pandemic, and for countries to share vaccines, particularly with those that are struggling to cope with new surges and variants” he added.

Funding gap

Highlighting the progress made against the coronavirus compared with a year ago, veteran emergency health expert Dr. Aylward, insisted that the development and increasing number of COVID-19 vaccines should not distract from the continued need by all countries to test,  trace and treat their populations.

People will continue to die unless a $16 billion funding gap is filled to pay for sufficient personal protective equipment, ventilators, oxygen and steroid medication to help the poorest nations treat their sick, Dr Aylward insisted.

“We still do not understand well enough this pandemic, because we are not enough testing enough”, he said.

“Remember, Tedros talked about ‘test, test, test’ literally months and months and months ago…we’ve made highly accurate, highly affordable rapid diagnostic tests, but with the fixation on vaccines, we’re not getting the money (needed) over there. And we’ve all seen what happens when this disease hits a country that doesn’t have the oxygen and dexamethasone.” 

Globally, as of 4 June 2021, there have been 171,708,011 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3,697,151 reported deaths, according to WHO.

“The threat of a third wave in Africa is real and rising”, said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our priority is clear – it’s crucial that we swiftly get vaccines into the arms of Africans at high risk of falling seriously ill and dying of COVID-19.”

20% uptick in cases

As the continent struggles with vaccine shortages, the care of critically ill COVID-19 patients has lagged behind other parts of the world. While Africa has 2.9 per cent of cases globally, it accounts for 3.7 per cent of deaths.

Weak observance of preventive measures likely contributed to the crisis, along with increased population movement and interaction, and the arrival of winter in southern Africa.

In the last two weeks, the continent has recorded a 20 per cent increase in coronavirus infections, compared to the previous fortnight. “The pandemic is trending upwards in 14 countries and in the past week alone (and) eight countries witnessed an abrupt rise of over 30 per cent in cases,” WHO said in a statement.

Intensive care filling up

South Africa has seen “a sustained increase in cases”, while Uganda reported a 131 per cent week-on-week rise last week “with infection clusters in schools, rising cases among health workers and isolation centres and intensive care units filling up”.

Angola and Namibia have also witnessed a resurgence in cases, WHO said, noting that 48.6 million doses have been received in Africa and 31.4 million doses have been administered in 50 countries on the continent.

Poor treatment

Only around two per cent of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, compared with the 24 per cent global figure.

“While many countries outside Africa have now vaccinated their high-priority groups and are able to even consider vaccinating their children, African countries are unable to even follow up with second doses for high-risk groups,” said Dr. Moeti. “I’m urging countries that have reached a significant vaccination coverage to release doses and keep the most vulnerable Africans out of critical care.”

Globally, as of 3 June 2021, there have been 171,222,477 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3,686,142 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 2 June, a total of 1,581,509,628 vaccine doses have been administered.