The report of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean Region revealed that cases of coronavirus infection amounted to 17.5 million, while 317,000 deaths were recorded in the region, which includes 22 countries.
Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said that cases of COVID-19 rose by 89% in the Eastern Mediterranean region in the first week of January compared to the previous week, but deaths decreased by 13%.
According to Al-Mandhari, 6 countries in this region have not vaccinated more than 10% of their population. These countries are Afghanistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
But the World Health Organization indicated that these countries have enough vaccines to vaccinate 40% of their population.
According to the World Health Organization, the problems are not related to the provision of vaccines, but to other challenges, most notably the lack of political commitment at the highest levels, in addition to the lack of security.
The weak health system, logistical challenges and limited interaction with local communities are other factors that limit the ability of the vaccine to reach those who deserve it.
The organization noted that despite the emergence of new mutations, vaccines are still an effective and vital tool in preventing severe infections and death.
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