G7 need to take responsibility for Covid response - WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) special envoy on Covid-19, Dr David Nabarro, has called on G7 leaders to take responsibility, “beyond positioning”, and form a worldwide coronavirus response programme.

The issue needs to be dealt with as a global challenge, Dr Nabarro told BBC World News, with a adequate finance, vaccines, diagnostics, treatment and political support.

“The rich world, indeed the whole world, can only recover if the pandemic is dealt with everywhere,” he said.

Ahead of the G7 summit UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the UK would donate more than 100 million surplus vaccines to poorer countries in the next year.

US President Joe Biden has promised half a billion Pfizer vaccines.