Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concern about developing countries' access to coronavirus vaccines.
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The head of state stressed the need to end “vaccine nationalism,” according to the Manila Bulletin.
Duterte said that despite the obligation of states to act together in the fight against coronaviruses, overcoming a pandemic had become a “race for immunity.” According to the President of the Philippines, the world has different levels of access to vaccines, and therefore developing countries cannot obtain the necessary amount of drugs to combat COVID-19.
The head of state noted that more than 80% of coronavirus vaccines were shipped “to rich countries”, leaving developing countries with “so few opportunities”.
“A large imbalance in access to vaccines needs to be corrected. It is necessary to end vaccination nationalism, “Duterte called on the world community.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously described the epidemiological situation in the world as difficult and also assured that Russia is ready to cooperate with APEC in organizing mass immunization of the population.