Declare vaccines as a public good
Civil society groups and private sector leaders from home and abroad yesterday called for lifting the restrictions set in the WTO's Trade-Related Intellectual Property (TRIP) rights and declaring Covid vaccine as public goods to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
They said the UN should work to lift WTO restrictions on vaccines and the Bangladesh government should also take an effective policy to ensure vaccines for all.
The calls came at a webinar titled "Emerging Issues in Access to Treatment for Covid-19 in Bangladesh" jointly organised by Equity BD, People's Health Movement Bangladesh and the Third World Network.
Prof Dr Rashid-E-Mahbub, former pro-vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said, "We need a global socialistic view to ensure vaccination for all. We need vaccines on an equity basis, not on a profit base."
KM Gopakumar, senior researcher and legal advisor of Third World Network, an international non-profit based in Malaysia, said people in developing countries and LDCs need access to vaccines and other health products to survive the pandemic, which requires widespread availability of these health products.
TRIPS waiver offers the policy space to do away with the IP (intellectual property) monopoly and facilitate the scaling up or production through diversification of the manufacturing base, he said.
"There is an urgent need to negotiate a smooth transition period for graduating LDCs to address concerns on matters affecting peoples' health," he said.
Sudip Chaudhuri, former professor, Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata, said the rise and growth of the pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh is a great achievement. Continuation of the product patent exemption in pharmaceuticals will help not only Bangladesh but other countries as well.
Ziaul Haque Mukta, member secretary of the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, said TRIPS waiver for Bangladesh doesn't give benefit only for Bangladesh, it is directly benefiting also the developed countries along with other LDCs and developing countries as these countries can import low-cost medicines from Bangladesh.
Zakir Hossain of People's Health said in terms of amount, allocation for the health sector is increasing but it is still 0.95 percent of the total GDP, which is very low.
"We need to invest more with ensuring proper utilisation. We have seen 24 percent of the allocation is unutilised. To fight Covid-19 pandemic, we need to equip the upazila level hospitals and arrange mass awareness at village level."
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD said the role of private sector in the health sector is well recognised in Bangladesh, but it is important to ensure public investment and management in this sector.
"Medical goods for Covid-19 pandemic must be declared as global goods."
Rabbur Reza said, chief operating officer at Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Ranja Sengupta of Third World Network also spoke at the event.
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