PremiumThe US is working with India to smoothen supply-chain constraints for the production of vaccines to combat the pandemic, Daniel Smith, the US charge d’affaires in New Delhi, said on Monday.
The US recognizes India has a critical role to play in the manufacture of vaccines, not only for itself but also for the world, Smith told reporters at a briefing.
When asked how soon the World Trade Organization (WTO) members could agree on a temporary patents waiver to help boost vaccine supply, Smith said that the US was taking other steps as well to ensure more vaccines were available to the world. The US is “ramping up all of our efforts across the board in partnership with India and other countries to increase production of covid vaccines," he said.
Describing the Biden administration’s support for the temporary waiver of covid vaccine patents as a “significant" one, Smith said “we are going to take steps in the near term that we hope will boost vaccine production significantly."
Smith’s comments came a day after World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu said wealthy countries, comprising 53% of the world’s population, have received 83% of the world’s vaccines for covid. In contrast, the remaining 47% received only 17%.
India and South Africa had in October moved a proposal, pressing WTO members for a waiver of certain rules of the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) pact. The main contention was the step would ensure intellectual property rights such as patents, copyright and protection of undisclosed information do not create barriers to timely access of affordable vaccines and medicines or to scaling up research, development, manufacturing and supply of medical products essential to combat covid. The proposal has been discussed many times at TRIPS Council, but members are yet to reach a consensus on a text-based negotiation. The US and France came on board last week, but the European Union, as a bloc, and key members of the EU are yet to agree.
Smith also said the US has received a list from India of materials required to produce vaccines. And Washington was working closely with New Delhi to provide the materials that would spur production.
“This is not an easy task. There are challenges in the global supply chain right now when it comes to precursors and raw materials that are necessary for these vaccines," he said.
The US had already diverted ingredients required for the manufacture of 20 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in India, he said. The US was in talks with the Serum Institute of India and other local manufacturers to raise production.
“We are determined to do all we can to help India boost its vaccine production, all vaccines for that matter because we recognize that India has a critical role to play not simply in helping the country emerge from this pandemic but helping this world emerge from this pandemic," he said. “We recognize that in helping India, we are helping a lot more than just India."
Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!
