COVID-19 has exposed catastrophic failure of capitalism
COVID- 19 has exposed the catastrophic failure of capitalism to provide universal coronavirus treatment globally. The so- called global village is nothing but a regional affair and nationalist shame. The ugly face of nationalism is the defining criterion for who gets access to the vaccines.
Rich western countries, which have the technology and capacity to produce lifesaving vaccines for everyone have not only provided for their people’s needs first, but even kept massive stockpiles for future use. Canada, for example, has bought nine times more doses than its population actually needs. For the poor, developing countries there is no other option than being left to wait and to scramble for the vaccine leftovers, while their people are dying needlessly. Western countries and their pharmaceutical companies don’t show health solidarity and any semblance of care for humanity. Ironically, many of the pharmaceutical companies have large production sites in developing countries, such as AstraZeneca at Serum Institute in India, or Johnson & Johnson via Aspen in South- Africa. Initially, production of vaccines were in developing countries for export to Western countries only. The Russian revolutionary Leon Trotzky describes the phenomenon that capitalism, on one hand, brings massive progress due to its dynamic, competitive structure, but progress can be limited to a few co- existing within massive pools of poverty. He called it ‘ combined and uneven development’. Profits of pharmaceutical companies are clearly put before people’s needs. That’s why poor countries want patents removed to enable them to produce prototype vaccines for themselves. They face stiff resistance from the West as they put trade protocols barriers to protect their corporations.
Also in Botswana, the corona crisis is far from over. Though there should be hope. A number of vaccines are available now, which have shown in large clinical trials that they are relatively safe and effective. Botswana, like other African countries, tragically finds itself at the bottom of the vaccine priority list.
It seems to be a given, that African countries ‘ surely won’t be the first once to receive vaccines’, as the CDC Africa Director had put it. Why not? Because Africa does not have fridges? We live in the 21st century, where goods and services travel with maximum speed to all corners of the globe. There cannot be investments to acquire cooling chains for life- saving vaccines in Africa?
However, this absurd view on Africa is not entirely the responsibility of global capitalism only. In Botswana it is also re- enforced by setting absolutely wrong priorities from the side of the Masisi Government. At a time when we are sick and dying and the dark cloud of coronavirus is hovering over us, we expected and looked to government to provide leadership by providing effective COVID- 19 vaccines as soon as they become available to save our lives from this menacing pandemic.
The prizes for the available COVID- 19 vaccines are in the public domain and lie between US$ 5.25 for Astrazeneca ( via Serum Institute India), less than US$ 10 for the Russian Sputnik- V, Chinese Sinovac US$ 13.6029.75, Moderna US$ 10- 50 and Pfizer US$ 20. Equally available in the public domain are the recent spending priorities of president Masisi, who rules Botswana since March 2020 under a state of emergency.
Though coronavirus has had a huge knock effect on the economy, notably diamonds and tourism, compared to other neighboring countries, Botswana was in a much better position to acquire the vaccines because it had built substantial foreign reserves overtime. Another factor Botswana’s small population with just over 2 million. Given this positive comparative factors, why has the country lagged behind and failed to purchase the vaccines in time? By now, even Zimbabwe, Somalia and Equatorial- Guinea have received vaccine doses. None of them is a high- income country. The official explanation citing the lack of money is not convincing. Batswana see reports that there is money for President Masisi’s protection and comfort, but not for our health needs: He recently acquired armored new vehicles valued at P70 Million ( Guardian, 5.2.2021) for his security, he was asked by the leader of the opposition to suspend P42 million for refurbishment of the State House and he saw nothing wrong with printing new P10 bank notes with his face on it, which is also estimated to cost P10 million.
Assuming an average cost for a vaccine of P130, Masisi’s extravagant spendings would allow the purchase of 938 461 doses of vaccine, which would mean that 41 percent of Botswana’s population could be vaccinated.
This would be possible without a World Bank loan, which Masisi is cur
rently seeking. We all know that World Bank loans come with stringent conditions, which will pull our economy even more downwards. Further, it is incomprehensible why the just released budget allocates more funds to the Ministry of Defense than to the Ministry of Health – in the middle of the largest global health crisis we have ever seen. We need to defend Batswana against the coronavirus, not against some imaginary external military enemy. In addition it is unacceptable that ordinary Batswana have to pay for the crisis by the recent myriads of tax increases, while Masisi and his government are not able and/ or willing to account for all funds which were given to combat COVID- 19.
We cannot just wait, see and hope that a vaccine might come someday, while people are dying and our health system continues to be overwhelmed.
We therefore demand the following:
- Suspension of all unnecessary spending by President Masisi and allocation of these funds towards purchasing COVID- 19 vaccines
- Clear communication of rollout and vaccination plans involving community structures
- Canceling of tax increases, such
as VAT, Fuel, Sugar - Suspension of prize increments for rentals, water and electricity
- A detailed independent audit on the usage of donor funds to combat COVID- 19 We have to fight for another global world, where humanity is truly based on equality and where our health and wellbeing matters. That is a socialist globalization.