Vaccine Equity and the Race to End the Pandemic with Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, Director of Health Programme at UNICEF

As we approach the end of 2021, the world is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is tired of wearing masks, quarantining, and social distancing. However, the sad reality is just 55% of the world population have received their first dose of vaccine. This is mostly concentrated in richer nations including most of the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. In many parts of Africa, barely 15% of the population is vaccinated as they battle with their 3rd and 4th wave of infections. Vaccine equity is crucial towards winning the war to end the pandemic. If one country is fully vaccinated while the rest of the world struggles to get one dose, we are exposing ourselves to more variants to develop. In this episode, we will talk with Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, Director of Health Programs at UNICEF Headquarters. Dr. Kampo stresses the need for greater vaccine equity, ending the pandemic, and strengthening public health systems in Africa and Asia.