The last two weeks have had bursts of excitement and optimism after two leading pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna announced that their respective Covid-19 vaccines showed over 90 per cent efficacy. The development excited global markets with hope of return to normalcy in the coming months when the commercial distribution of the vaccine commences. However, research on trends of distribution of vaccines for decades teaches us that it might be too early to celebrate or get our hopes high. Despite the discovery of polio vaccination in the 1960s, it was only this year that the continent was said to have overcome the ailment. Tuberculosis vaccine has been around for decades yet thousands succumb to the ailment annually on the continent. Given the history of vaccines, we would be too ambitious to expect global vaccines even at the highest volume and scales of production. For decades, lives that could have been saved by administering vaccines have been lost due to lack of access to vaccines. Further reason to curb growing optimism is that the pandemic is a global phenomenon, meaning that there will be global widespread demand for the vaccine. Rules of economics dictate that high demand and limited supply often result in rises in prices of a commodity. It will not be a surprise if it turns out to be the case for the covid-19 vaccine. Even wealthy generous nations will stay up at night trying to ensure access among their citizens before they can start interventions in developing nations. While often there are wealthy donors and well-wishers who often have support instruments to improve health sectors of developing countries, the subject is too weighty to be solely left in their hands. Even when access to a certain number of doses has been secured, there will be more conversations to be had locally — the dissemination of the vaccines. The country will need to agree on a strategy and distribution plan, map out the most vulnerable populations to avail the vaccine to as well as how to continue protecting the unvaccinated. The urgency and importance of accessing the vaccine across the masses should also call for an all hands on deck approach with room and flexibility for involvement of different stakeholders to join hands with the government that has also led efforts to contain the pandemic. For instance, with the sustainability of businesses greatly affected by the pandemic, members of the private sector — especially established entities — can also look into ways to support the government, which could consequently see the resumption of the value chains. By commencing early planning, the country can identify stakeholders’ strength and resources as well as ideal ways to distribute labour.
