While stressing on the imminent need to implement a COVID19 vaccination policy that is a free to all, detailed, time-bound and transparent, non-profit organisation Oxfam India and Mumbai-based Forum for Medical Ethics Society jointly wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which they stated that the country needs to scale up vaccination in ‘shortest possible time’.
“The pandemic threatens all of us. Unchecked, the virus could kill millions and risks pushing a billion people into poverty. Ensuring everyone has free and equitable access to the vaccine will save lives, reduce the pressure on the healthcare system and accelerate India’s return to normalcy,” the letter stated.
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The letter written to the Prime Minister was signed by 160 health practitioners and experts [including medical doctors, nurses health researchers and ethicists], and 73 organisations, unions and groups working on health rights and with marginalised communities.
“The complete list of 567 endorsements (from across 23 states and UTs) include globally renowned scholars, social activists, teachers, and concerned citizens is attached with this letter,” it added.
The letter called on the Union government to take action to ensure a ‘people’s vaccine’. ” For this to happen, a detailed, time-bound an transparent COVID-19 Vaccine policy and action plan should be arrived at in consultation with the States an India’s experts and citizens at large and ensure transparency in contractual agreements reached by the government with the pharma sector,” the letter read.
In a note of appreciation, the letter also welcomed India’s global advocacy on the vaccines including temporary relaxations for Intellectual Property rights, patents and other such provisions under the TRIP (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property) Agreement of the World Trade Organisation to ensure free and equitable vaccines for all.
It also commended India’s efforts at addressing ‘vaccine nationalism’ by rich countries including lifting bans on exports of ingredients for vaccine manufacturing.
Also Read: 50% drop in COVID19 vaccination in India in the past month, shows govt’s Co-WIN data
Meanwhile, official data from across the country shows a drastic decline in vaccine doses administered in the last one month.
As per the central government’s data on Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work) website, vaccination trends for total doses (first and second) in the country have dropped by 50.8 per cent in the last one month (see graph).
On April 19 (Monday), over 3 million (3,065,254) total doses were administered across the country. Nearly a month later, on May 17 (Monday), the total doses administered in the country had reduced to 1.5 million (1,505,750).
