NEED OF THE HOUR
This refer to your news, “US backs move on vaccine patent waiver, gains praise; coronavirus spreads to rural India” (May 8). President Biden has done well to signal that the US will support the waiver of Intellectual Property protections, over lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines. The world is going through an unprecedented crisis, and the pharma companies should unite to share technical know-how, to save mankind.
There are qualified manufacturers across the world, who can manufacture vaccines, to ensure quick and rapid dispersion. However, the European nations need to support the IP waiver initiative. The continent of Africa, with 1.3 billion people, has hardly received any vaccines. India which makes around 20 per cent of the world’s vaccine is struggling to vaccinate its people due to intense shortages. The only viable solution to resolve the pandemic is widespread vaccination. The US and the UK are shining examples, that infections can be controlled through vaccinations. So, vaccines should be produced across the developing world, even in some African countries which have production facilities.
The European Union and other rich countries should support the initiative to share vaccine technologies across the world freely, so that further misery can be prevented. No nation wants to witness the pain and anguish that India is witnessing, in any other country. Countries like Cuba, have plants to manufacture vaccines. They are yet experimenting and undertaking trials. However, why waste time to re-invent the wheel, when it has been discovered and is working? Just share the existing technologies, so that all the vaccine plants across the world can start manufacturing, instead of experimenting.
Pharma companies should see this opportunity to serve humanity. Sure, they will lose some profits. However, governments of countries should be willing to evolve a formula to reimburse the pharma companies for any loss of profits. Ater all, the pharma companies, which have laboured to discover the vaccines, should garner their due rewards for their endeavours and investments. However, saving human lives is also vital. Rajendra Aneja
Mumbai, India