Prince Harry urges governments over vaccination in poorer countries at GQ awards show
September 2, 2021, 3:06 am

Prince Harry-

The BBC reported that the Duke of Sussex has urged governments to tackle the "huge disparity" in access to Covid vaccines worldwide, as he made a surprise virtual appearance at an awards show.

The BBC said, Prince Harry was speaking at the GQ Men of the Year awards, where he presented a prize to the team behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

He said in a speech that until everyone can access the jab "we are all at risk".

According to the BBC, the duke also blamed "mass-scale misinformation" for vaccine hesitancy.

The BBC mentioned that Prince Harry, while speaking via video, he called on governments to do more to vaccinate people in poorer countries.

While more than a third of the global population has received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, he said less than 2% of people in the developing world had received a jab and many healthcare workers remain unvaccinated.

He said: "We cannot move forward together unless we address this imbalance as one."

"At the same time, families around the world are being overwhelmed by mass-scale misinformation across news media and social media, where those who peddle in lies and fear are creating vaccine hesitancy, which in turn leads to divided communities and eroding trust.

"This is a system we need to break if we are to overcome Covid-19 and the risk of new variants."

Prince Harry praised Prof Dame Sarah Gilbert and Prof Catherine Green, who received the magazine's "heroes of the year" award for their work on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

He said: "They are our nation's pride and we are deeply indebted to their service."

He added, "For the rest of us, including global governments, pharmaceutical leaders and heads of business, we have to keep doing our part."

"That must include sharing vaccine science and supporting and empowering developing countries with more flexibility. Where you are born should not affect your ability to survive when the drugs and know-how exist to keep you alive and well."

The BBC noted that Prince Harry has previously called for fairer distribution of vaccines at a charity concert, Vax Live, in May.

He and his wife Meghan were campaign chairs of the event, which raised millions of pounds for Covax, a scheme working to ensure Covid vaccines are available around the world.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”