Canada must act to ensure equitable vaccine distribution

With news of COVID-19 cases and deaths rising day by day, Canada must step up to support India. Patients are being turned away at hospitals because of the shortage of medical supplies. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and crematoriums and morgues continue to run out of space.

With family living in India, it is heartbreaking to hear the impacts it is having on loved ones. Such a situation must be dealt with compassion, justice and empathy. Such a devastating state highlights the growing need of ensuring equitable access to vaccines, medical products and treatments to save lives.

When it comes to access to vaccines, we see a deadly divide between high-income countries like Canada and low-income countries. Wealthy countries are buying up supplies and preventing poorer countries from gaining access.

In October 2020, India and South Africa applied for a waiver of intellectual property rights on COVID-19 equipment, drugs and vaccines. Waiving the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) would allow companies and facilities around the world to mass manufacture vaccines without any disputes from big pharmaceutical companies. Manufacturing billions of doses would be enough to end the global pandemic. The U.S. recently announced its support for the TRIPS waiver. Surprisingly, Canada remains undecided. Last week, Trade Minister Mary Ng had stated that Canada will continue to participate in conversations regarding the waiver. Yet, by not explicitly supporting the waiver, Canada continues to protect pharmaceutical monopolies and prioritize pharmaceutical profits over the lives of people.

By restricting vaccine production, we are at risk of prolonging the pandemic. Time is of the essence. Variants can emerge and spread worldwide.

The further we prolong the pandemic, we are also at risk of furthering economic and social disruptions. To prevent this from occurring, we need to ensure that vaccines are equitably distributed across the world. The lives of people need to be prioritized over the interests of pharmaceutical companies if we want to see concrete change. It's time Canada advocates for equitable vaccine distribution in countries like India and supports the TRIPS waiver. Harsimran Grewal, Surrey

DIPTENDU DUTTA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES The COVID-19 crisis devastating India has exposed a shocking disparity in access to vaccines between wealthy and poorer countries.