“The serious inequality in access to medicines and vaccines is an unfair, extremely immoral act” – Télam

President Alberto Fernndez spoke of the need to “guarantee equitable and favorable access to vaccines and drugs”, and argued that “the grave inequality” of access to these represents an “unjust and extremely immoral act”, during a video conference presentation at the G20 World Health Summit.

From the Olivos Residence, accompanied by Foreign Minister Felipe Sol and Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, the President participated this Friday in the World Health Summit convened by the Italian Presidency of the G20 and the European Commission.

“It is essential to guarantee equitable and united access to vaccines and medicines”, he declared in this context and added: “The serious inequality of access to medicines and vaccines represents an unjust act, highly immoral and contrary to the interests of the international community as a whole ”.

“It is essential to ensure equitable and favorable access to vaccines and medicines”“

Alberto Fernandez

Fernndez was one of the first leaders to speak, following speeches by President of the Italian Council of Ministers Mario Draghi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and UN chief Antonio Guterres.

During his speech, Fernandez said that “The pandemic is a warning and, at the same time, an opportunity to move towards more equitable, more inclusive and more just societies”.

Referring to the situation of the production and distribution of vaccines against the coronavirus, he affirms: “The serious inequality of access to medicines and vaccines represents an unjust act, highly immoral and contrary to the interests of the whole international community” .

In this sense, he added: “It is essential to promote the transfer of technology and to guarantee greater flexibility of intellectual property rights, in order to advance the global production of vaccines.”

In addition, he noted that “instruments are needed to increase knowledge exchange and mobilize the financial resources needed to develop and strengthen essential health infrastructure, especially in developing countries”.

“It is essential to promote technology transfer and ensure greater flexibility in intellectual property rights, in order to advance global vaccine production”“

Alberto Fernndez

Likewise, the president considered that there was a “disproportionately negative impact on developing countries and the most vulnerable populations” of the “serious health, economic and social consequences” caused by the pandemic, and for this reason he has asserted that “unprecedented scientific achievements which have been achieved benefit everyone.”

Regarding the global health situation, the Head of State stressed the need to “review and update the global health architecture so that it makes it possible to share knowledge, conduct joint research and promote the participation of countries developing to international scientific networks “.

“The overhaul of the global health governance system is the starting point,” he said, while reiterating his support for “the adoption of new tools and strategies encouraged to foster emergency preparedness and response. on the basis of international solidarity and cooperation “.

Fernndez recalled that “the pandemic is also an opportunity to also rethink more united health systems which guarantee the effective exercise of the right to health, with equity and quality in all countries”.

The presidents of the member countries of the bloc, which constitute the twenty largest economies in the world, participate in the summit by videoconference.

“The pandemic is also an opportunity to also rethink more united health systems that guarantee the effective exercise of the right to health, with equity and quality in all countries”“

Alberto Fernandez

Representatives of invited countries, international and regional organizations and global health experts are also present, with the aim of sharing lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic and endorsing the Rome Declaration, according to official sources.

Among the summit attendees, the Presidents of the United States, Joe Biden; from China, Xi Jinping; from France, Emmanuel Macron; and from Russia, Vladmir Poutine; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga and of Canada, Justin Trudeau; IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva; WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurra; among others.

For her part, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced at the summit that the European Union (EU) would donate 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to low and middle-income countries.

“Europe intends to deliver at least 100 million doses to low and middle income countries by the end of 2021” because “everyone, anywhere” should have access to vaccines, the leader said. German in Rome.

Access to vaccines, international solidarity and the prevention of possible pandemics are the axes of this summit of heads of state and government of the G20.

The final declaration of this summit, entitled “Declaration of Rome”, would affirm above all the commitment of the richest countries to promote the production of vaccines, mainly in Africa, and by the transfer of technology.

One issue on which so far there has been no consensus is the temporary suspension of patents on immunizers.

The EU, the UK and Switzerland, the headquarters of the big pharmaceutical companies, are the main voices against the initiative that India and South Africa presented to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in October latest and which already support more than 100 countries, including Argentina and, more recently, the United States.