We would like to extend an invitation to join us next week on 22 June at the special time
of 15:00 for the next event in our WIDER Webinar
Series<https://www.wider.unu.edu/node/237129>29>.
Full details
HERE<https://www.wider.unu.edu/event/jayati-ghosh-ending-covid-19-vaccin…
Jayati
Ghosh<https://www.peri.umass.edu/economists/jayatighosh> joins the WIDER
Webinar Series to discuss the pathways available to achieve a people’s
vaccine<https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/us-wto-waiver-expan…05>,
with equitable vaccine distribution, and increased public production. Ken
Shadlen<https://www.lse.ac.uk/international-development/people/ken-shadlen> joins as
discussant to talk about the challenges of increasing production to assure adequate supply
of COVID-19 vaccines and the role of technology transfer.
The COVID-19 vaccine apartheid and how to end it
The development of effective COVID-19 vaccines was a feat of modern medicine. But this
remarkable achievement has been overshadowed by the hurdles of production and
distribution, further entrenching the division between rich and poor countries. 80% of all
vaccinations have taken place in high-income countries, and the vast majority of the
world’s population are yet to receive even a single
dose<https://www.theindiaforum.in/article/political-economy-covid-19-vaccines>.
Though this is not purely a story of vaccine hoarding and rich countries being greedy, it
stems from a bigger issue, a lack of supply. Right now there are simply not enough doses
to go around. But this need not be the case.
By temporarily waiving Intellectual Property
rights<https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2021/04/20/mariana-mazzuc…
and promoting transfers of knowledge and technology to enable public production of the
vaccine, the supply issue could be alleviated. As it stands, the patent system is delaying
the end of the pandemic and protecting the profits of pharmaceutical companies.
*This event takes place at 15:00 UCT+3*
Register
here<https://www2.wider.unu.edu/crm/content/jayati-ghosh-equal-distribut…
Kind regards,
Ruby Richardson
Communications Associate
United Nations University World Institute for
Development Economics Research
Phone +358 (0)9 615 99257
Email richardson@wider.unu.edu<mailto:richardson@wider.unu.edu> Web
wider.unu.edu
Katajanokanlaituri 6 B, FI-00160 Helsinki, Finland
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