HOARDING is what prevents poor countries like the Philippines from securing vaccines to contain the spread of the deadly virus from Wuhan, China.
In a virtual meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Philippine vaccine czar Carlito Galvez raised concern over what he claimed as hoarding what is already a limited supply of coronavirus vaccines.
He likewise said that such acts have taken its toll on the people even as he cited the need for the UN-ECOSOC to ensure fair and timely access to the antiviral drug.
“We join the UN Secretary-General in lamenting the unfortunate state of global COVID-19 vaccination, and fully align with the course of action of ASEAN, the Non Aligned Movement, the G77 and other like-minded Member States,” Galvez said.
“Hoarding the limited vaccines does not serve anyone’s interests and only hurts everyone and the global response. Similar transgressions run contrary to solidarities reached multilaterally that emphasized the importance of collective action,” said Galvez, also chief implementer of the government’s policy against the coronavirus,” he added.
Galvez has called for closer international cooperation in addressing the pandemic, particularly ensuring the equitable distribution of vaccines. He recognized the world faced a “daunting task to ensure vaccines for all” amid the latest round of national lockdowns a year after the pandemic erupted.
“The Philippines remains resolute in championing a policy of ensuring universal, fair, equitable, and timely access to COVID-19 vaccines as long-term solutions to building back better, amid the emergence of new variants and the global scarcity that has been challenging vaccine rollouts in some countries,” he said.
“It has been clearer, as it has always been, that #OnlyTogether can we end this pandemic especially now that we have begun to have the scientific capacity to do so,” he added.
He also said the international community must “reinforce our greater global solidarities and uphold our collective commitment and to further intensify its cooperation to address COVID-19’s multidimensional challenges.”
“Indeed, no one is safe unless everyone is safe. But ultimately, if we are to win this battle and prevent the virus from mutating in the most desolate and harshest of conditions, we must faithfully fulfill our collective duties and act on our common humanity to end this brutal war that has already taken so much from us,” he added.
Top UN officials earlier lamented the “uneven and unfair” distribution of coronavirus vaccines, saying 10 countries administered 75 percent of all vaccinations.