Africa CDC opposes issuance of COVID-19 passports citing inequitable access to vaccines

The head of the Africa CDC says his group is opposed to the issuance of COVID-19 vaccine passports until there is equitable access to shots across the world. John Nkengasong told a briefing Thursday that the idea is "inappropriate" while Africa lags behind in vaccine acquisition.

"Our position is very simple. That any imposition of a vaccination passport will create huge inequities and will further exacerbate them," he said.

"We are already in a situation where we don't have vaccines, and it will be extremely unfortunate that countries impose travel requirement of immunisation certificates whereas the rest of the world has not had the chance to have access to vaccines."


Vaccine passports are documentation showing travellers have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus. Technology companies and travel-related trade groups in some wealthy countries are developing and testing out such passports to encourage travel.

But only 2 per cent of all vaccine doses administered globally have been in Africa, according to the World Health Organization.

The Africa CDC warned last week that the continent of 1.3 billion people is unlikely to meet its vaccination targets amid supply delays from a key manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India. (AP) IND