Of politics and pandemics

Nations have a moral responsibility to save lives

THE World Health Organisation had some bad news for the world on Friday: two million or more could die of Covid-19 if the world did not get its act together. What has gone wrong? Well, firstly it is not an all-wrong story. A few have done the right things, most of the time. But in a world of some 200 countries, a few isn’t good enough. The few can close their borders and yet the coronavirus will get there. Neither the virus nor the disease recognises borders. So what is the world doing wrong? Firstly, it is not doing enough to make lockdowns unnecessary. The few countries that have flattened the curve are strong on testing and tracing. Having done this, they are strict on quarantines. They have also enforced physical distancing and health protocols such as the wearing of masks. But in this world of a responsible few, there are irresponsible many. There, the leaders pay little to no heed to medical experts’ advice. A few even dismiss Covid-19 as a scam to scare people. Epidemiology has never been dismissed like this before. What’s worrying is that there are people around the world who believe such dismissive leaders. If close to a million deaths aren’t real, what else is?

Secondly, this is not only a disunited world but a selfish one, too. Consider the vaccine grab. Even with death staring at humanity, a few rich and powerful countries are on a vaccine nationalism binge. They are funding — and only partially at that — pharmaceutical companies at home and abroad to develop vaccines with the sole aim to have them all to themselves. Never mind if the world has 7.7 billion people who may all need the vaccines. Vaccine nationalism has become so bad that concerned leaders of some nations had to use the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday to urge the world to unite and share the vaccines. Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin put to the UNGA thus: “We must remember that Covid-19 does not discriminate and because of that, our response should not too.” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was even more biting. “Share vaccine or be judged,” news agency AFP quoted him as telling the world body. Strong words but plainly necessary. Despite the UN’s Covax initiative to develop, to date, nine vaccines for the world, the United States, China and Russia have gone their individual way, thus denying much-needed money for the world body’s lead. Up to Friday, WHO says only 67 highincome countries have joined the Covax initiative. Another 34 may do so soon if WHO’s expectation comes true. We say this to the countries which shun sharing: no country can be part of the global community without also having the moral responsibility to share the benefits with the world. Finally, there are still some errant people around the world who negate the job of their governments in arresting the spread of Covid-19. Malaysia is no exception. People are still breaking standard operating procedures despite death staring at them and their loved ones. On Friday, 115 errant Malaysians were arrested for violating the Recovery Movement Control Order. This in the midst of a spike in Covid-19 cases in Sabah. The recent state elections in Sabah didn’t help either. As the WHO says, the world must prevent amplifying events. We agree.

Neither the virus nor the disease recognises borders.