Report reveals regional inequalities in coronavirus vaccination

* Photo: Pexels

Click to read the article in Turkish

The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) has released its report "COVID-19 Vaccination and the Condition of Immunization Services in Turkey."

The 89-report written in Turkish has articles on the vaccination efforts during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The report addresses the relationship between the immunization services and public health as well as the current condition of immunization in Turkey and the inequalities experienced in this area.

Sharing commentaries on vaccination as well, the report also discusses the vaccine research and practices and attitudes to vaccination during the COVID-19 outbreak as well as the effectiveness and side effects of the vaccines developed and used against the virus.

While it is underlined that vaccine and vaccination is a human right, there is an emphasis on the inequalities caused by the patent rights on vaccines.

* Deaths and Vaccination Rate (in the USA, United Kingdom, Israel and Turkey)

'Significant inequalities in vaccination'

The first COVID-19 vaccine was administered in Turkey on January 13, 2021 and Health Minister Fahrettin Koca was the first person to receive the vaccine in Turkey. To date, Turkey has been giving the CoronaVac and BioNTech jabs, and signed an agreement for the Sputnik V vaccine.

Within this context, the report shares some findings on a provincial basis about the COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers and the people aged 65 and over with CoronaVac as of February 24, 2021:

* The rate of vaccination in the Western Anatolian region is 84.5 percent; this rate is 54.6 percent in Northeastern Anatolian region.

* The Turkey average is 73.9 percent.

* The rate of vaccination in the Western Anatolian region, the region in the best condition in terms of vaccination, is 1.55 times higher than the rate of vaccination in the Northeastern Anatolian region, which is the region in the worst condition in terms of vaccination.

* If the rate of vaccination with CoronaVac vaccine across Turkey had reached the rate of vaccination in the Western Anatolian region, 40.56 percent of the ones not yet vaccinated (40 out of every 100 unvaccinated people) could be vaccinated now.

* In the first phase vaccination, there has been a significant inequality visible in the Northeastern and Southeastern Anatolia.

* Green: Good; Red: Bad

According to the report, when the vaccination of healthcare workers and the individuals over 65 is considered on a provincial basis as of February 24, 2021, the province in the best condition is the capital city of Ankara with 90.3 percent while the province in the worst condition is Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Şırnak with 33.91 percent. (AS/SD)

* Click here to read the full report (in Turkish)