Key Sentence:
- A global coalition of more than 350 unions has again called on politicians to revoke patents on a Covid vaccine.
- They said not doing so would complicate the supply chain crisis and cause “economic losses.”
This comes as the World Trade Organization (WTO) tries to compromise at a meeting in Geneva. Critics say it’s more complicated to get a vaccine up and running than just releasing a patent. The dilemma discussed at the WTO summit centered on finding the best way to ensure the world’s most expansive and fair way to vaccinate the world against the coronavirus and end the pandemic. Doing well will remove the constraints that have made economic growth worse.
Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that the global economy could have $5.3 trillion in spending. Dollars (£3.9 trillion) in the next five years if the world fails to bridge the vast vaccination gap between developed and developing countries. They believe this will speed up the spread of the vaccine. The United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, and the European Union, among others, opposed the rejection.
The union coalition is led by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).
“These politicians seem desperate to hurt themselves socio-economically to clean further the pockets of billionaire Pfizer, Moderna, and BioNTech,” said Stephen Cotton, ITWF Secretary-General. “This is insane – these leaders believe that restoring the entire world is the ransom.”
The coalition is concerned that many of the 11 million workers in 113 countries do not have adequate access to vaccines. They warn that the global transportation system is in immediate danger of collapsing if not enough workers are vaccinated.
“Globally unequal access to vaccines and treatments poses an existential threat to the personal safety of transport workers, but also to supply chain sustainability and the strengthening of the global economy,” Cotton said.
Supply chains are vulnerable because only 31% of the 1.4 million seafarers worldwide are vaccinated.
They play an essential role in world trade as 90% of goods are transported by sea. Yet, without vaccination, they continue to struggle with limitations. This means that more than 100,000 cargo ship employees will remain at sea after their contracts expire. Some 14,000 people have been stranded for more than 11 months, according to the Global Maritime Forum.
Developing countries such like the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Ukraine are among the most prominent players in the global maritime population. The relatively low prevalence of the vaccine explains why the group would benefit from ignoring intellectual property rules.
However, the pharmaceutical giant argues that accelerating the spread is not as easy as ignoring these rules. Beyond the formulas used to make actual vaccines, expanding production means having the skills, knowledge, and raw materials.