Global Pharma To Distribute 1.3 Billion Coronavirus Vaccines To Poor Nations

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

(Worthy News) – Pharmaceutical companies have agreed to deliver more than 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries this year. Their agreement came at a global health summit that underlined the growing disparity between rich and poorer developing countries.

Critics have questioned the global distribution of vaccines developed in record time after reports of side effects and even deaths. However, officials at the summit view the jabs in general as potentially life-saving amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

And Italian Premier Mario Draghi, host of the Rome summit that brought together the Group of 20 of the world’s largest economies and the European Union’s executive arm, was visibly satisfied with the outcome. He called the promised coronavirus vaccine contributions by private companies “significant and staggering.”

The pledges include 1 billion doses from American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German firm BioNTech, 200 million from Johnson & Johnson, and 100 million from Moderna.

They say they will provide them at a cost price to low-income countries and “a low profit” for middle-income nations. Pfizer and BioNTech also pledged an additional 1 billion doses for 2022. At the same time, European Union nations promised another 100 million doses for this year.

Prime Minister Draghi believes this will dramatically reduce a lack of covid 19 vaccines globally. He explained that “the private-sector commitments and pledges are very significant.” Draghi stressed the Pfizer- BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna companies “committed their whole reputation to this distribution.”

The prime minister called it a “very important move.” He said that if they “keep on having these donations on this rhythm,” many controversial issues such as ensuring production and protecting patents will become “less important.”

U.N. PROGRAM

The European Union’s executive European Commission says that many European deliveries will happen through the United Nations-backed COVAX program.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen believes the program ensures that vaccines are not only available to rich nations. “Important is that this is a very clear no to health nationalism. And it is even re-enforced if you look in the declaration,” she told reporters.

“At a certain point [in the delcration], you find that supply chains have to be open. So it is a clear no to export bans, a clear no to bottlenecks. And all the countries I have mentioned, the Group of 20, have agreed on that,” the Commission president added.

However, the distribution of vaccines suffered a significant setback. Its biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, announced it would likely not export any more vaccines until the end of the year due to the COVID-19 crisis in the nation.

But the meeting hosts are confident that new pledges would be honored and that impoverished nations will finally receive the coronavirus vaccines they have been waiting for.

They stressed the need is urgent. Italian Prime Minister Draghi said nearly 1.5 billion vaccine doses had been administered in over 180 countries worldwide. Yet only 0.3 percent were in low-income countries, while richer countries administered around 85 percent.

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