As the end of April approaches, cracks in the global effort to fight covid-19 pandemic have begun to emerge. Similar to other policy areas, corona virus pandemic has become a case of capitalist/elitist agenda. Rich nations are actively engaging in “Vaccine Nationalism” or simply “me first” rule. Without diving into statistics and elaborate charts, one only needs to look at the fact that a total of 732 Million doses of corona virus vaccines have been administered according to W.H.O and over 50% of these have been administered in the UK and US alone. Combining the rate of USA, UK and EU, a person is being vaccinated every second while the rest of the world watches on. Rich nations are entering into side deals to secure vaccines for their populations while ignoring the aspect of equality and equity. The United Nations experts are powerless and the head of W.H.O, Tedros Adhanom has commented on this act of vaccine nationalism as “shocking”.
As the pandemic and the dynamics of the vaccines unfolds, it appears, rich Governments are pressurizing the private pharmaceutical companies to get exclusive manufacturing orders and paying high prices to secure distribution channels. It must be kept in mind that this is being done while around 3 million people have died across the globe due to the Covid virus and billions of others have been affected economically by the devastation of lockdowns and reduced market activities. The Pharmaceutical companies are collaborating with the Governments where the company is originally based. Pfizer being an American firm is actively supplying vaccines to all states of USA and delaying all other requirements coming from the UN and WHO for poorer countries. Similarly, in case of U.K, Oxford based Astrazeneca and Moderna are being exclusively supplied to EU and UK. In the UK, with a population of only 66 Million, more than 50% of the population has already been vaccinated. In the EU, manufacturing facilities for the vaccine have been setup in mere months by pharmaceutical companies and production is on full scale, ignoring the nations and regions where such facilities are not possible. Rich countries of the Middle East like UAE, Qatar and Saudi are purchasing vaccines from above Western based companies at higher rates, as they can afford it. Meanwhile, poorer countries in Africa, Middle East and South Asia, South East Asia are awaiting their turns for charity. Common humanity has been ignored altogether.
At this alarming juncture of Vaccine Protectionism, the UN and the WHO launched a public-private initiative called COVAX. The aims of this program is to collect funds from Governments, corporations, businesses, sponsors and NGOs to build a common forum with vaccine producers as members, supplying free of cost vaccines to countries that cannot afford it. Out of 194 countries who are active members of WHO, poorer nations have only initiated their vaccination drives. The COVAX project setup a target to deliver 100 Million vaccine doses to poorer nations across the globe by mid-April, only 35 Million were distributed. The situation is worsening every day. Even worse is the fact that USA, EU and UK are blocking moves in the UN to eliminate copyrights and manufacturing licenses on vaccines so that they can be produced in poorer nations of the world. The firms making the vaccines are also secretly co-operating with Governments of rich countries to keep the supply lines intact for populations who can afford the vaccine.
In this scenario of vaccine nationalism, China has managed to maintain a different narrative. The virus originated in Wuhan, China. Needless to say, China got a head-start. After the initial shock, not only did China win over the virus and the pandemic surge, it was able to post 18% growth in the FY 2020-2021 despite the global pandemic chaos. The Chinese biologists set sights on developing a vaccine. The Chinese firms, both state-owned and private initiated their drive to make their own vaccines instead of relying on Western nations for assistance. Sinovac, Cansino and Sinopharm were three different vaccine names that were in development. As a gesture of goodwill, China included Pakistan in vaccine trials for all three vaccines which were tested in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. On successful completion, China donated 1.5 Million doses to Pakistan free of cost and then another 500,000 doses were received in April. Minister Asad Umar and Dr Faisal Sultan were quick to acknowledge this vital assistance from China. It is a favor not to be forgotten. On the other hand, the Russian Government took the lead as well and developed their own vaccine based on vector technology called Sputnik. Although, the Chinese vaccines had lower efficacies it still promised a rate of 80% average while the Sputnik Russian vaccine ranked one of the top 5 vaccines of the world comparing with Pfizer. The Commercial Council Aliev of Russia also reached out to Pakistan and ensured that vaccine needs of Pakistan will be met by Russian Government. The first shipment of Sputnik vaccine was cleared by DRAP and private firms and hospitals have begin vaccinating people who can afford to pay. In any case, the availability has been offered not by rich Western nations but through Asian countries engaging in regional diplomatic ties. India initially planned to unroll their own vaccine but without reaching the required quality standards, it was never cleared by WHO and one of the key facilities caught fire.
Similar scenarios are approaching in other parts of the world. China is donating its vaccines to many nations free of cost. In terms of supply chain, Russian firms are offering a clear alternative to vaccine nationalism while countries like US, UK and EU have failed their humanitarian duties at large.
Finally, Pakistan is on its way to the road to independence in vaccine. Pakistani firm Searle has entered into a joint collaboration with a Chinese firm Livzon Mapharm to produce Covid vaccine locally. In ideal conditions, in the WHO and COVAX was to prevail above petty nationalist agendas, poorer nations should be able to enter into joint ventures funded by public private partnerships, where countries can manufacture their own vaccines and deliver them at the doorstep of poorer and illiterate populations. Searle and Livzon seek relevant approvals from the Government of Pakistan so that massive vaccination drives outside larger cities can be jump started.
Nations engaging in vaccine nationalism do not realize that if poorer nations don’t get the vaccine, there is a dangerous possibility of the virus mutating into forms that may be unaffected by existing vaccines. We are all connected, all sons and daughters of the same tribe on a small little boat called Earth. When the dust settles and the veil is lifted, only the good of all is what matters. A system that favors the few can never be sustainable. Global supply chains, labor and trade and stock markets are intricately connected and without uplifting rich and poorer nations alike, there is no hope. If poorer countries in Asia and Africa are not vaccinated, demand and supply disruptions combined with political instability and economic shocks will bring the world to its knees. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed the fault lines of the world and an affirmation that all is not well in the state of Denmark.
