MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st January, 2022) African countries will be able to produce coronavirus vaccines locally and solve the issue with vaccine access when the intellectual property protection for the drug is lifted, Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said on Friday.
Africa has been facing issues with vaccine access since the start of the global vaccination drive, with most countries on the continent able to vaccinate no more than 10% of population with two doses, while considering a booster shot a luxury, Osinbajo elaborated. The global community could do more to help Africa, he said at the Davos Global Economic Forum 2022.
"First, speaking of the ability of African countries to manufacture vaccines locally, we of course have to look at issues around patent rights and intellectual property rights. And we have to look at relaxing those rights. These are proved to be a problem now," Osinbajo said.
He noted that there has been no visible progress made regarding the matter, adding that "we can't really talk about African countries being able to produce their own vaccines if we don't address those important structural problems."
The Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa on October 2, 2020, with both states arguing it would help increase vaccine production, particularly in lower-income countries. The initiative was later supported by the World Health Organization.
However, several European leaders and pharmaceutical companies have opposed the idea of a patent waiver, urging their counterparts to look for more effective ways to combat the pandemic and boost vaccine distribution.
