The head of the World Health Organisation, marking a year since the first cases of the novel coronavirus were reported by China, has urged countries to ensure that vaccines are made available to people at risk everywhere, not just in rich nations.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, appealed for $4 billion to buy Covid-19 vaccines for distribution in lower and middle-income countries through the Covax vaccine facility, Reuters reported.

“This is the challenge we must rise to in the New Year,” Tedros said in a video message issued a day before the first anniversary of China reporting the first cases of pneumonia of unknown origin to the UN health agency.

“Vaccines offer great hope to turn the tide of the pandemic. But to protect the world, we must ensure that all people at risk everywhere — not just in countries who can afford vaccines — are immunised,” he said.