Only 1 in 10 people will be vaccinated in nearly 70 lower-income countries due to the massive hoarding by wealthy countries, said ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies and GIWEH in a joint oral statement at the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
The speech highlighted the international community’s moral responsibility to provide technical assistance and capacity building in the field of human rights to poor countries and conflict-ridden areas, as a way for moving forward and preventing risks and possible human rights crises.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents of countries devastated by armed conflicts remained unable to access medical treatment,
- Lara Hamidi, senior researcher for ImpACT International.
“Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents of countries devastated by armed conflicts remained unable to access medical treatment,” said Lara Hamidi, senior researcher for ImpACT International.
“Now that the vaccine is out, the majority of the richest countries in the world have bought or reserved more than enough vaccine to protect their populations, threatening availability for lower-income countries”
The joint statement empasaised that the vaccine manufactures should share their technical know-how to increase the global supply, since no single corporation will be able to meet countries’ need for the vaccine.
ImpACT International and GIWEH called on governments of rich countries and vaccine manufactures to adhere to their moral responsibility in sharing knowledge and providing enough vaccines to poor and conflict-ridden countries.
The two organisations concluded that pharmaceutical companies should set aside doses for lower-income countries and provide additional support for transport and stories.