Trampled in the stampede
“No one is safe unless everyone is safe” is President Rodrigo Duterte’s rhetoric to convince the UN that it will be a “gross injustice” if developing nations were left behind in the road to post-pandemic recovery.
The President added that a developing country suffering from lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines would “completely discredit the values upon which the United Nations was founded. We cannot let this happen.”
Duterte made the call for universal access to COVID-19 vaccines as the United Kingdom, one of the world’s wealthiest countries, is set to roll out this week the first Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine doses, reported to be 95% effective in preventing infection. According to a CNN report, the UK has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine — enough to vaccinate 20 million people. An initial 800,000 doses would be delivered from Pfizer’s facilities in Belgium to the UK next week, and “many millions” more before the end of the year. The UK is reported to have ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine — enough to vaccinate 20 million people.
Where do developing countries stand in the race for vaccination?
While rich countries have sealed supply commitments from vaccine manufacturers through market-based agreements, which favor governments with the largest pockets, developing countries join the struggle for supply of COVID-19 vaccines with nothing but a plea for compassion and an invocation of the right to universal access to vaccines to end the pandemic. Sadly, access to vaccines is market-based, leaving countries with meager financial resources having to depend on leftovers of rich countries.
No less than the Philippines vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said that only 18% of the vaccine supply is left to be shared by developing nations since rich nations have already secured 80% of the entire supply.
After initially refusing to make advance payment for vaccines, Duterte has already relented on his stand against advance payment in a desperate attempt to join the vaccine frenzy among countries. As of November, the Philippines is assured of getting a supply of 2.6 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. This supply is not enough to vaccinate a target of 80% of the population to get herd immunity.
In a race towards economic recovery, rich countries have a strong incentive to wield their influence and financial power to be the first to see the end of the pandemic in their countries. The developing nations like the Philippines, which are trampled in the stampede, can only make ululating cries for compassion. Unless developing countries can craft a better strategy other than vaccination, we already know the frontrunners in this game.