Vaccine Inequity and Lesson for Nigeria

The planned move by some richer nations to rollout booster shots for their already fully vaccinated citizens just seems not to go down well with the WHO and other smaller nations who feel it's an egotistical show that reflects insensitivity towards the plights of other nations. They term it global vaccine inequity. The criticism for this comes from the consideration that there are still many countries yet to have their adult populations fully vaccinated. But what's the sense behind the anger against this so-called vaccine inequity and what's Nigeria's place in it?

The delta variant, first discovered in India in late 2020, gave rise to the surge of the second wave. This more infectious strain threw nations back into another disconcertment, making them wonder what would be the fate of the socio-economic situation that was beginning to find footing just after the incontinence of the sudden explosion of what was a novel pandemic. Swiftly, control measures- which included days and weeks of lockdown, reinforced regulations on mask mandates and the observance of the protocols on social-distancing and restricted gathering were once more updated.

Fortunately for the world, the quick development of the Covid-19 vaccines through the enormous ingenuity of scientific and medical experts brought with it an assurance and a sense of relief. The vaccine had provided what was to be an immediate arsenal that was necessary to shove off the bludgeoning impact of the new and critical fatalistic disease. As never witnessed before, and a very critical step for that matter, vaccine approval and authorizations were swiftly given to commence vaccination immediately they were declared ready.

Consequently, countries began to immediately make orders for supply of the different vaccines. Competitions heightened among the world's top economies and the purchase of the much coveted vaccine became a race of marathon where nations showed their wealth and economic influence. Orders for supply were made to Pfizer, Astrazeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac and the other major brands in the Covid-19 vaccine production mainly from countries in the European Union, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, China and Russia. Instructively, some of these nations went to the extent of becoming explorative in ensuring local production.

Nations, as seen, became immediately involved in the theatrics to outsmart others in what became a marathon to secure the much needed vaccines in order to save the lives of their people and also protect the fortunes of their economies. The world's wealthy economies began a massive roll-out that has seen almost their entire adult population administered with adequate jabs, whether it is for the single dose vaccines or those vaccines that require double doses.

In trying to think of a better approach to protect theirs first especially considering the galloping waves of more contagious strains, we saw richer nations moving beyond just procuring the needed quantities of the vaccines needed for their adult population, going further to book for their reservations. That itself was an understandable nationalistic sentiment. This excess reservoir prompted the nuance of the possibility of children within 16 and below having to be included in the vaccination program even though they wouldn't be seen as vulnerable. Clearly but funnily, excess provision would consider how children's lives matter too, regardless!

Simultaneously happening while some countries made provisions for secondary booster and for their invulnerable children, was the ironical reality of nations equally battling the scourge of the global pandemic not having the required amount of the vaccines that could serve the primary demand of their vulnerable populations. These countries, mostly in Africa, became heavily and roundly reliant on what's the goodwill of the super-rich nations and the alliances for aid that were formed to bridge the gap in the vaccine supply. It was indeed very ridiculous, as much as it was very disturbing to see nations flying in relaxed laze the flag of dependence in a situation as critical as one so life-threatening!

Nigeria nay Africa laid back and waited for what charity that came from Covax, the United States and the European Union as the pandemic posed a deadening challenge to them. How so disturbing and disappointing could this be? It's one disappointment that begs the question of whether Nigeria wouldn't have done anything in the face of the sad reality if these global networks had done nothing. The question that spurs on the side is whether indeed it was necessary for Nigeria- the economic hub of Africa to have waited for charitable offering without itself being steeped in the very jostle of the super-nations to secure the Coronavirus vaccine?

With the provoked third wave that has similarly spurred nations into taking more preventive steps in protecting their already vaccinated citizens through booster jabs, the reality of what the unreliability of charitable offering poses has begun to manifest. Regardless of how humane and charitable an individual or organization could be, such would not emit same without first having to take care of its pressing need. Charity indeed begins from home and the milk of kindness could be extensive only in the face of an superabundance wherein the weight of self has become carefully assured. This is a personal standard as much as it is a national reality.

Hence, it is laughable to begin to criticise nations taking necessary steps to ensure the safety of their populace first in a war so life-threatening and which source of defense is limited with the certainty of more productions remaining uncertain. It is expected and very natural that nations will live up to the duty of providing firstly for their citizens, for that itself is their primary mandate as responsible governments. This sense of duty is oblivious of what are the extraneous feelings and as such is unmindful of any slur campaign to force them to balance up at their national detriment. As noble as it may sound,does global equity really matter here?

Who is talking about global equity in vaccine procurement? What is the rationale behind the so-called vaccine equity? Is it that some nations should wait for those ones that have established themselves and are able to procure even more than enough supply of the vaccines to buy these same vaccines and distribute to those nations that are for obvious reasons incapable of supplying even the needed amount? What indeed is the sense in the global vaccine equity?

Still in the guise of vaccine equity and very petulantly as it concerns Nigeria. Why is Nigeria in the league of those lamenting over the over surplus procurement of the super-rich nations and demanding for vaccine equity? The critical question which I think should be on focus is why Nigeria is in the league of such nations as to be heavily reliant on the charity of other nations that would begin to give rise to the clearly out-of-place issue of 'global vaccine equity'? It is very unnecessary for Nigeria to be clamoring for vaccine equity, especially going by the fact that it should have been unthinkable to have Nigeria struggling to have access to the needed amount of the vaccines in the first place.

In the alternative, the crucial issue I think Nigerians should be bothered about is on why we have gotten to this stage where we cannot provide for our citizens' basic need as the necessary elixir to save lives but to rely on other nations instead. This question is very critical just as the reality of the Coronavirus and the preventative vaccine have shown. Nigeria must understand how shameful it is that at this very moment that nations are standing up and living up to the primary responsibility of defending the lives of their citizens, she is playing catch up and seeking the mercy of other nations which are ably living up to the very expectations of which she seems to have woefully failed.

If truth be told, we have nothing pushing for the agenda of vaccine equity from the point of view of a beneficiary. (If she must be involved, it should be from the angle of a benefactor, a big brother figure). But our corruption stinks, our leadership lacks vision and we do not understand what true patriotism is that we have become reduced to such a poor and beggarly nation just waiting off the crumbs of charity. These are rather startling realities that the failure of our nation to equitably fight in a ravaging storm has exposed.

The very call that should matter at this very point is the demand to take cursory look at the mess we created for ourselves and which seems to have placed us in a nauseated dependence for help and begin the needed reforms to bring to bear the very true riches and resources of this nation. Nigeria must put her house in order, expunge this dependent syndrome and stand up to her true status. A rich nation capable of weathering any storm!