Vaccine inequality blamed for boosting global Covid death toll
Unequal access to Covid-19 vaccines in 2021 led to one preventable death every 24 seconds, according to an open letter signed by prominent political figures, activists and academics that marks the third anniversary since the World Health Organization first described the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic.
The more than 190 signatories urge world leaders to pledge that “never again will the lives of people in wealthy countries be prioritised” over those in poorer ones. They say publicly funded medical innovations should be treated as “global common goods” and used to maximise health rather than profits.
The signatories said co-operation would require removing intellectual property barriers during pandemics. The industry and some national governments fiercely resisted such attempts as Covid-19 continued to spread. A voluntary initiative by the WHO, known as C-Tap, failed to attract significant support.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Donato Paolo Mancini
