Letters to the Editor: State has part to play in ending vaccine injustice

We should enable countries in the global south to manufacture generic vaccines and treatments for themselves

A student receives a shot of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine at a school for children with special needs in Depok, Jakarta, Indonesia. We should enable countries in the global south to manufacture generic vaccines and treatments for themselves. Picture: AP Photo/Dita Alangkara

Currently, the world's focus is rightly on the catastrophic events that are unfolding in Ukraine, and the devastating humanitarian fallout.

But it is worth noting that last week (March 11) marked two years since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Yet, in low-income countries, just 6.3% of people have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus in comparison to 73% of the population in high-income countries. However, despite this glaring injustice, Ireland has yet to support a temporary intellectual property waiver (TRIPS waiver) that would force big pharmaceutical companies to share intellectual property that would enable countries in the Global South to manufacture generic vaccines and treatments for themselves.