Coronavirus vaccine for all at no cost

The government deserves hearty congratulations for deciding to make the coronavirus vaccine available to all free of cost once it is available on the market and we have the money to buy enough for all. We would like to reiterate the prime minister's call to the World Health Organization to declare the vaccine a "global public good" that must be made available to all countries though an "equal access programme". It is a commendable plan indeed, since the nature of the pandemic requires that everyone across the board is included in the vaccination programme. Given the cost of flu vaccines that are available today, which only the affluent can afford, the government cannot risk anybody being left out.

Covid-19 has posed serious health challenges for the world and we are glad to see that countries have come together to produce a vaccine in a much shorter time than what would be needed to produce a new vaccine under normal circumstances. This being a global problem, nothing short of a global programme that includes production, funding for production and availability, as well as funds for the lower income countries for purchase of the vaccine, will make vaccination efforts successful.

At present, nine countries under the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) are engaged in producing the vaccine, and several others countries outside the programme are running their own tests and trials. According to the health ministry, it is engaged in talks with five front-running vaccine producers. While we believe that the higher the number of countries involved, the better it is for the prospect of early production of the vaccine, the efficacy and safety of the drug is very important and we should procure only those that have the seal of approval of the WHO.

While one is not certain when exactly the vaccine might be available, we believe that the government should also work out a distribution plan in advance, including preparing a priority list that should be based on medical and health factors, with the most vulnerable given the top spot. And that should be determined by the health officials alone.