India calls for equity in access to vaccines, internationalism at UNSC meet on COVID-19
Underlined that hoarding superfluous doses will defeat global efforts to attain collective health security and combat the pandemic
India urged the international community to stop “vaccine nationalism” and actively encourage “internationalism”, underlining that hoarding superfluous doses will defeat global efforts to attain collective health security and combat the pandemic, at the open debate on the implementation of resolution 2532 (2020) on the cessation of hostilities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing the UN Security Council, S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister outlined nine points for consideration of the international community to help the world put the COVID-19 pandemic decisively behind it and to emerge more resilient.
He also emphasised that disinformation campaigns taking advantage of the pandemic to advance their nefarious objectives and activities must be stopped.
Jaishankar voiced concern that lack of global coordination regarding vaccine distribution will hit conflict affected areas and poorer countries the hardest. He cited the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates that more than 60 million people in such areas are at risk.
India is also concerned over a “glaring disparity” in accessibility of vaccines globally and Jaishankar emphasised that equity in access to vaccines is important for mitigating the impact of pandemic.
“This disparity calls for cooperation within the framework of COVAX, which is trying to secure adequate vaccine doses for the world’s poorest nations,” he said.
He further called for strengthening the COVAX facility to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines to all countries in a fair and equitable manner.
(Edits by EP News Bureau)
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