Open AccessCommentary: Ethnocentric Considerations in the Allocation of Vaccines in Africa
Author(s) -
Ishmael D. Norman
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
european journal of medical and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2593-8339
DOI - 10.24018/ejmed.2021.3.2.714
Subject(s) - ethnocentrism , tribalism , beneficence , equity (law) , distribution (mathematics) , political science , nationalism , cronyism , politics , economic growth , development economics , economics , law , mathematical analysis , autonomy , mathematics
This paper suggests that, just as the world community is concerned with ‘vaccine nationalism’ in the acquisition and distribution of vaccines, it should also be concerned with ‘vaccine tribalism’ in the respective African nations. This call is made because, African nations do not have impressive records of ethical distribution and apportionment of scarce resources, be it the delivery of healthcare services, medical doctors, or the national wealth, jobs, and the siting of national projects. Ethnocentric considerations, cronyism, big-man-ism, power, often trump ethical values of beneficence, non-malfeasance, equity, and fairness.