COVID-19 Vaccine: Govts Urged to Make It Free of Charge to All Once Developed

A petition from global leaders has been initiated requesting governments around the world to make it available to everyone free of charge when an effective COVID-19 vaccine is created.

According to the United Nations, UNAIDS, the UN agency fighting the deadly HIV / AIDS virus, has initiated the petition.

More than 140 global leaders and figures have signed an open letter calling on governments to unite behind a "people's vaccine" against COVID-19, marking the planet's most optimistic position on what has become the most important search of modern science.

They argue that all vaccines, treatments, and tests should be patent-free, mass-produced, and distributed equally.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is calling for a collaboration of scientific research among countries and for the patent-free vaccine.

“Nobody should be pushed to the back of the vaccine queue because of where they live or what they earn,” he was quoted by the UN News as saying in the joint UNAIDS/Oxfam letter.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, underscored the need to work together to beat the virus. 

“We must pool all the knowledge, experience, and resources at our disposal for the good of all humanity”, he said. 

Other signatories include former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown, former President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo, and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, who also headed the UN Development Programme (UNDP) for many years.

COVID-19 response priorities

Government and national leaders also joined UN agencies and international financial institutions on Thursday, in calling for water, sanitation and hygiene to be prioritized in the battle against the virus. 

Confirming that these three areas – together with physical distancing – are first lines of defence, and central to stemming the virus from spreading, they pointed out that handwashing requires access to running water in sufficient quantities.

“Our response plans – at national, regional and global levels – must, therefore, prioritize water, sanitation and hygiene services”, they said in a joint statement.

Under the premise that we are only as healthy as the most vulnerable members of society, no matter the country, the global leaders requested that all three be made available to everyone, “eliminating inequalities and leaving no one behind”. 

They also advocated for working collaboratively with every partner to improve water and sanitation services, saying that “everyone has something to offer to protect populations from COVID-19”. 

Financial support

They also stressed the need to provide countries with financial support so they could adequately respond to the crisis.

“Funding envelopes need to be maintained with no diversion away from the commitments and priorities set for the water, sanitation and hygiene sector”, they stated. 

They also called forcefully for the delivery of accurate, transparent information, based on scientific advice that enables everyone to act accordingly.

“Resilience to future crises depends on actions taken now, as well as on policies, institutions, and capacity put in place during normal times”, they concluded. “As leaders, this is our chance to save lives”.

As the world confronts the COVID-19 pandemic, the 40th anniversary of the historic eradication of smallpox was marked on Friday, with the head of the UN health agency calling it “a reminder of what is possible when nations come together to fight a common health threat”.

Source: UNB