The World Health Organization warned Tuesdaythere could be a shortfall of up to two billion syringes in 2022, which threatensto hamper vaccine efforts globally is production does not improve, according toReuters.
More than 7.25 billion Covid-19 vaccine doseshave been administered globally, according to an AFP tally.
That's nearly double the number of routinevaccinations given per year -- and twice the number of syringes required.
National health authorities should plan theirneeds well in advance to avoid the "hoarding, panic buying and type ofsituation" seen early in the pandemic with the lack of personal protectiveequipment, WHO expert Lisa Hedman said.
Unicef also warned in October that it wouldfall short of 2.2 billion AD (auto-disable) syringes next year. Theorganization cited increased demand, supply-chain disruptions and ‘syringenationalism’, which “could lead to significant challenges in 2022".
Unicef said there is a need to put an “end to‘syringe nationalism’ and the hoarding of desperately needed safe injectionequipment". Low- and middle-income nations will face the brunt of theshortage of syringes, it said.
Meanwhile, according to UN News, the heads ofthe International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group, WHO and the WorldTrade Organization (WTO) held a follow up session of High-Level Consultationswith the CEOs of leading COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing companies on Tuesday.
At the meeting, according to a press release,all participants agreed on the urgency of delivering more vaccine doses tolow-income countries, where less than 2.5 percent of the population has beenfully vaccinated.
The meeting was organized with an objectiveto ensure equitable distribution of vaccine doses to low-income countries.