A top international Red Cross organisation has announced a $110 million plan to help support the immunisation of 500m people worldwide against Covid-19 amid concerns about vast inequalities in the rollout of coronavirus vaccines between rich and poor countries, AP reports.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, an umbrella organisation of national groups, says the world’s 50 poorest countries have received only 0.1 per cent of the total vaccine doses that have been administered worldwide so far — with 70pc administered in the 50 richest countries.

The plan involves rolling out national vaccination campaigns, steps to build trust in vaccines and efforts to “counteract misinformation about their efficacy”. The initiative is to begin with 66 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and others are in talks with their respective governments.