A prominent international rights group on Friday called on countries that are still blocking the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver on COVID-19 vaccines to support the initiative in order to remove barriers to global supply
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2021) A prominent international rights group on Friday called on countries that are still blocking the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver on COVID-19 vaccines to support the initiative in order to remove barriers to global supply.
"Since India and South Africa called for a TRIPS waiver one year ago, a staggering 3.5 million people have died from Covid-19. How many more people must die needlessly before countries do the right thing and support the lifting of patent restrictions, so Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatments can be produced worldwide?" Amnesty International head Agnes Callamard said in a statement.
The watchdog's secretary general called it "simply shameful" that the governments of some wealthy countries "continue to monopolize vaccine supply while consistently opposing attempts to free up intellectual property rights that would enable other States to fulfill their obligations to protect their people."
The TRIPS waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa on October 2, 2020, with the states arguing it would help increase vaccine production, particularly in lower-income countries. The initiative was later supported by the World Health Organization.
