The G20 leaders has been called upon by some African influencers to as a matter of urgency donate COVID-19 vaccines to Africa adding that COVID-19 deaths are declining almost everywhere except in Africa.
A statement signed by UNICEF Abuja Communications Officer, Anike Ali-Hakeem, on Monday, said that the influencers made the call in an open letter to the G20 leaders.
The signatories were also asking fellow Africans to support the letter in the run -up to the G20 meetings in Rome, at the end of October.
According to Ali-Hakeem, part of the letter read: “Many rich countries are already on track, yet just a fraction of Africans are fully vaccinated.
“Rich nations have pledged to donate over a billion vaccines this year and hundreds of millions more in 2022 and supporting Africa to manufacture and buy its own vaccines.
“This gives us hope, but most of these promises remain unfulfilled; Africa cannot wait, we need many of the vaccine doses now.
Some of the African influencers, includes the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador, Angelique Kidjo, musicians- Femi Kuti, Cobhams Asuquo and business leader and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu.
Others are actor and producer, Genevieve Nnaji; actor, Daniel Etim Effiong, and Nigerian singer and songwriter, David Adeleke (Davido).
World leaders recently set a target that every country should vaccinate 70 per cent of its population.
While some developed countries have already met or exceeded this target, only 4% of the population are fully vaccinated with vastly accelerated dose-sharing as the only option to protect people from the worst effects of the virus.
