Today, Friday, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb called on countries and companies to reconsider pricing policies and distribution plans, and work to address the severe disparity in the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine to ensure that it reaches the poorest and most needy areas. The Grand Imam posted on social media accounts, “We are facing a real test to our humanity. It can only be overcome by solidarity, conscientiousness, pure compassion, and human justice. I call on the companies producing the COVID-19 vaccine to reconsider pricing policies and distribution plans. I also call on rich countries to work on addressing the severe disparity in the distribution of the vaccine to ensure that it reaches the poorest and most needy areas.”

In previous tweets and television episodes, the Grand Imam stated that countries and companies manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines should not fail the poor and refugees in their right to obtain the vaccine, and that the producing companies should adopt a fair distribution policy, drawing on their humanitarian message and conscience, and away from commodification and materialist calculations. On separate occasions, the Grand Imam applauded the efforts made by scientists and researchers to provide the vaccine to the world, describing these efforts as “a generous and appreciative gift from the heroes chosen by Allah to preserve the human life during a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than a million people, and that is still threatening the world.” The Grand Imam also sent messages of support and appreciation earlier to health heroes of the medical staff, doctors, nurses, employees, and workers, who stand on the frontlines of defense to protect the society from COVID-19, describing their work and efforts as human sacrifices.