Press release: Access to Covid-19 vaccination only for the rich
Press release
Access to Covid-19 vaccination only for the rich
The pandemic will not be over until everyone can get vaccinated. However, this is not the case: a group of rich countries representing only 13% of the world’s population has reserved more than half of the global vaccine doses.
By contrast, UN Secretary-General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres underscores that „no one is safe from COVID 19 until everyone has had a vaccine“ and warns against vaccine nationalism.
An application to the World Trade Organization (WTO), submitted by South Africa and India and supported by more than 100 other member states, is intended to to facilitate production of and access to vaccines for the period of the pandemic but is being blocked by the EU, the UK, the USA, Canada, Japan and Brazil.
„Although politicians of all stripes emphasize the importance of vaccinating the entire population of the world, practically no solidarity is implemented,“ clarifies Dr. Christiane Fischer of PHM Germany, who founded the non-governmental organization Peoples Health Movement Germany (PHM Germany) with a few comrades-in-arms. The goal of this initiative is to create access to medical care, medicines and vaccines for all people in the world.
The joy about the existence of vaccines against COVID 19 and the concern about the difficulties to organize vaccination roll out dominates the discussions in the European media. Beyond the media interest, however, is the desolate situation of the people in the global South, who are currently particularly affected by Corona and the measures against it.
PHM Germany will organize an International online panel discussion on the Global Day of Action of the International PHM on 7th of April 2021 at 19:00h -21.00h (CET): Access to Covid-19 Vaccination for People in the Global South.
There will be representatives from civil society, academia and politics from South Africa, Brazil, India and Germany discussing how the global community can succeed in realizing the right to health care and access to vaccination worldwide.
Afterwards, the discussion will be available as a film in the press section: https://phmovement.de/socialmedia/
The planned schedule on 7.4.2021, 19h-21h
|
Welcome |
Dr. Christiane Fischer, PHM Germany |
|
Presentations and discussion |
Andy Lofts Gray, Senior Lecturer, Univ. of Kwa Zulu/Natal, WHO Consultant and PHM South Africa Matheus Falcão, PHM Coordinator Brazil Dr. Gopal Dabade, PHM India Kathrin Vogler, MdB, PHM Germany |
|
Moderation |
Astrid Berner Rodoreda, Founding Member PHM Germany |
Chat: Santosh Mahindrakar, Dr. Eva-Maria Maintz
The event will be held in English. Questions can be asked in German.
The invitation link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82910102714?pwd=aVhHNDE0VzhRblpmOXhKZEdPUEVrQT09
Join the online panel discussion.
Contact:
Dr. Christiane Fischer, MD, member of the board of directors
0157-55575135
Astrid Berner Rodoreda, founding member, info@phmovement.de
Dr. Eva-Maria Maintz, MD, member, eva.maintz@gmail.com
0174-942786
For English speaking inquiries:
Santosh Mahindrakar, member