The lack of AIDS treatment in poorer countries should serve as a lesson as countries try to secure Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines, the United Nations (UN) has warned.
The Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), which gave the warning in a statement on Thursday, said: “The world must learn from the mistakes of the HIV response, when millions in developing countries died waiting for treatment.
“Promising COVID-19 vaccines are emerging, but we must ensure that they are not the privilege of the rich.’’
UNAIDS urged pharmaceutical companies to share their know-how and waive intellectual property rights to allow for the world-wide production of vaccines needed to protect the global population against COVID-19.
According to the UNAIDS annual report that was published ahead of World Aids Day on Dec. 1, 2019, 12 million people, who live with the human immunodeficiency viruses did not have access to life-saving medication.
The organisation also warned that the disruption of health services amid the coronavirus pandemic could lead to an additional 293,000 HIV infections and up to 148,000 additional AIDS-related deaths until 2022.
