NEVA MAKGETLA: Fragmentation of state adds to failure of vaccine rollout
There is no government mobilisation to accelerate procurement, ensure access for the non-digital, or to set up mass vaccination sites
If we benchmark SA’s vaccine rollout against similar countries the picture is not pretty. In the second week of April fewer than 300,000 people, or 0.5% of the population, had been vaccinated. That compared to an average of 10% for 40 other upper-middle-income economies with populations of more than 1-million. The figure ranged widely, however, from a high of 44% in Serbia to 10%-15% in Brazil, Argentina and China, and under 1% in 20 other countries.
The most obvious explanation for SA’s slow rollout is that rich countries have hoarded vaccines. Vaccination rates correlate strongly with GDP per person. In high-income economies 33% of the population has been vaccinated; in lower-middle-income countries the figure drops to 5%, and in low-income economies to just 0.1%. High-income economies hold 6% of the global population but 60% of vaccinated individuals. Some countries, notably the US, have bought two or three times the doses they need...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.