This interview is part of our last interview. Women and Leadership special reportIt highlights the women who have made significant contributions to the great stories unfolding in the world today. Speech edited and shortened.
A Nigeria-based infectious disease specialist, Dr. Ayoade Alakija is the co-chairman of the organization. African Union’s Vaccine Distribution Alliance (AVDA). In December 2021, Dr., nicknamed Yodi. Alakija has been tasked with accelerating fair access to Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines for the World Health Organization’s global initiative known as the World Health Organization. Accessing the Covid-19 Tools Accelerator. He uses the term “global north” to describe high-income countries and “global south” to describe low- and middle-income countries.
Throughout the pandemic, you’ve been critical of vaccine inequality, especially in Africa. WHO Director-General Dr. How did you feel when Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asked you to be the special representative of the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator?
I had been one of the most critical voices in some of the outputs of the ACT Accelerator. I had been the #1 agitator for vaccine inequality. So my first thought was, “Oh my god, they’re all going to hate me.”
It was the shaking of the status quo; a fox in the henhouse. When Tedros called me to ask if I could do it, “Did you get the right number?” Said. Then I said, “Oh, no, no, no.” So he asked me to think about it by saying, “Your voice is needed, your rudder is needed.”
I spoke to my husband and he said, “Yodi, you’ve been on the front lines saying that those of us from the global south need to be heard. They invited you to that table, you can’t say no.”
What does your role include?
I work 16 to 18 hours a day, advising governments, health ministers, finance ministers and ACT Accelerator leaders, coordinating with AVDA colleagues on vaccine shipments, deliveries and bottlenecks. There are also speeches and media work I undertake to advocate for vaccine equality and fair access to healthcare tools.
How do we ensure vaccine equality?
When we place the value we place on lives in the global north to those in the global south. We can only achieve this when we consider it inappropriate for people to die of diseases in Mombasa or Kibera that no longer exist in London or New York. When we value each other the same. Because right now, “The situation in Africa is not that bad. Maybe we don’t really need to vaccinate them. We do not see the intensive care units being completely overflowing.” This is because there are no intensive care units, because there are no health centers. Because people die in silence.
You started your clinical career working with HIV and AIDS patients, then in your early 20s you decided to pursue a master’s in public health. Did you face any obstacles early in your career?
When I applied to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine To study public health, “This course tends to be for really senior public officials, ministers or permanent secretaries from different countries of the world. You are too young so we are not accepting you for this course.”
I was angry. My husband and I were living in London at the time, so I walked to school and asked to see the dean who was there at the time. Richard Feachem. I threw the letter on the table and said, “What does that mean? It’s what I want to do and I’m not leaving until I do what I’m applying for.” He sat down in his chair and said, “I’m really looking forward to the day you rule the world.” He then directed me to one of the admissions.
When it comes to the world’s Covid-19 response, you have been vocal about the need for more women in positions of power. How will we achieve this?
The fact that global health leaders are male has slapped me so many times in the face during this pandemic. A lot of women tend to be number 2, so they don’t have much of a decision-making power, a voice.
I was at a conference in Rwanda and there was a group of men who invited them to this mentoring session for young women. And they were standing right in front of the only table in the room. So I tapped each of their shoulders and said, “I’m sorry.” And they looked at me and said nonchalantly, “Oh, yes, hello.”
So I broke up with them and climbed onto a chair and then a table. The conference broke out. I took the microphone and said, “Right here, that’s what we’re talking about.” Even if you pull up a chair and enter the conversation politely, you can say ‘huh?’ They’re looking at it.”
So if they don’t give you a seat at the table, pull up a chair. And if they don’t make room, move on to the table.
Do you believe that Covid is disproportionately affecting the lives of women and girls, especially in Africa?
Here is another silent epidemic of child marriages – people are selling their daughters because of the economic impact of Covid. People can’t feed their families, so it’s the girls who have to go.
Even for vaccines, prioritization in communities means that if there are few vaccines in the country and people are willing to go and get it, the guy will go and get it. But women don’t.
How do we get more vaccines for guns?
It’s not as simple as indecision. Hesitation is a function of trust – trust in systems, trust in governments. There needs to be a more regular, more consistent, predictable supply of vaccines.
We should also look at the broader strengthening of health systems. It has to be part of our vaccine delivery and our preparation for the next pandemic or the next pandemic or simply preparing for life, really.
