Access to Corona Vaccination only for the Rich

As per UN Secretary General Guterres: "Nobody is safe from COVID 19 until everyone has had a vaccination offer".

Disappointingly, while the global need is very large, the main amount of vaccine is accumulated in very few and very rich states, which make up only 13% of the world's population but has reserved more than half of the global vaccine doses. Many poor countries go away completely empty-handed

By Dr. med. Christiane Fischer

Chairwoman of the PHM Germany

Access to Corona Vaccination only for the Rich

 

An application to the World Trade Organization (WTO), submitted by South Africa and India and supported by more than 100 other member states, is intended to facilitate the production of and access to vaccines for the time of the pandemic, but is currently blocked by a few countries including Germany.

Amazingly, the Biden government supports the proposal. The reaction of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, must also be assessed in this sense: Since the pandemic represents a threat to all of humanity, individual commercial interests must take second place. The expressed readiness to discuss the proposal must lead to a constructive participation in the negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO)!

Above all, the governments of the rich countries in the WTO have over the past few months blocked the proposal. The proposal was supported by more than 100 economically disadvantaged countries, to suspend patents and other intellectual property rights for all pandemic control technologies for the duration of the pandemic.

Monopoly rights, including patents, represent shackles that restrict the free and quick action of all actors who want to get involved in the provision of vaccines, drugs, diagnostics or protective materials. It is imperative to remove any barriers to the global production and distribution of vaccines and other relevant medical devices.

The negotiations within the framework of the WTO must therefore be brought to a conclusion without delay or legal gimmicks. This must apply to vaccines as well as to all aids required to cope with the pandemic. Rich states like Germany in particular must take responsibility for the well-being of humanity and, by renouncing patents, make an active contribution to global vaccine distribution based on global demand! While the global need is very large, the main amount of vaccine is accumulated in very few and very rich states, which make up only 13% of the world’s population but has reserved more than half of the global vaccine doses. Many poor countries go away completely empty-handed.

But the pandemic will only be over when everyone can get vaccinated. UN Secretary General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres emphasizes this by saying: “Nobody is safe from COVID 19 until everyone has had a vaccination offer” and warns against vaccine nationalism. In order to achieve a fair distribution, all the hurdles that stand in the way of effectively overcoming the pandemic must be overcome: Exclusive rights of use (patents), scientific data and technical know-how. They must be shared with all qualified actors, e.g. in a patent pool for COVID technologies (C-TAP).

The People’s Health Movement

The PHM aims to implement the Alma-Ata Declaration, in which the World Health Organization (WHO) wanted to achieve Health for All by the year 2000 in 1978.

Social, psychological and physical well-being is linked to corresponding political, socio-economic and ecological conditions. The highest possible state of health therefore includes global health, access to medicines, health services and measures to combat the climate crisis. Universal human rights are the ethical basis of our actions. They take precedence over economic interests and contracts.

The human right to the highest possible state of health is listed in Section 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in Section 12 and Section 15 of the International Covenant for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and is laid down in other international human rights treaties. According to the binding UN interpretation, this includes the right of access to essential medicines, health care and research results. The PHM Germany is a national German-speaking group (Circle).

Further information: https://phmovement.de

As a non-profit association, we are happy to accept donations and issue a donation receipt: IBAN: DE 98 6725 0020 0009 3168 41 BIC: SOLADES1HDB All natural (individuals) and legal (associations) persons can join: https://phmovement.de/beitreten/ Membership is free. We would be pleased if you would support the work of the association with your donation.

Dr. med. Christiane Fischer is chairwoman of the PHM Germany.

Contact: Hohegasse 1, 69181 Leimen; Email: fischer@phmovement.de

 

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By the same Author on PEAH

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