WASHINGTON: The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the world faces a “catastrophic moral failure” because of unequal Covid vaccine policies.

WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned it was not fair for healthy, younger people in richer nations to get injections before vulnerable people in poorer countries.

Tedros said over 39 million vaccine doses had been given in 49 richer states – but one poor nation had only 25 doses, BBC reported.

The WHO and China, meanwhile, were criticized for their Covid response.

An independent panel commissioned by the WHO said that the UN public health body should have declared an international emergency earlier, according to BBC.

Likewise, China has also been criticized for not taking public health measures sooner, it said.

So far, India, China, Russia, the US and the UK have developed Covid vaccines, with others being made by multinational teams – like the American-German Pfizer vaccine.

These nations have prioritized distribution to their own populations, according to BBC.

“I need to be blunt: the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure – and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries,” Dr Tedros said adding, “A “me-first” approach would be self-defeating because it would push up prices and encourage hoarding.”

“These actions, ultimately, will prolong the pandemic, the restrictions needed to contain it, and human and economic suffering,” Tedros said.

(With inputs from BBC)