Trócaire appeals to people of Donegal to call on Irish Government to play its part in ending vaccine injustice

Trócaire is appealing to the people of Donegal to call on the Irish Government to play its part in ending vaccine injustice by ensuring that the most vulnerable people in developing countries have access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation two years ago this month. So far, based on official records, approximately six million people have died from Covid-19 globally. However, the actual death toll is estimated to be much higher.

Trócaire has warned that this figure will continue to rise and called on the Irish public to email their TDs to demand that the Irish Government supports the temporary intellectual property waiver (TRIPS Waiver at the World Trade Organisation) to increase vaccine access for low-income countries.

In low-income countries, just 6.3% of people have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to Our World in Data.

In high-income countries, 73% of the population has been fully vaccinated with at least two doses. However, despite this glaring injustice, Ireland has yet to support a temporary 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.

Caoimhe de Barra, CEO of Trócaire, said that the pandemic will not end until everyone has access to Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatments.

“Vaccines have played a vital part in protecting Irish citizens from Covid-19, and have contributed to the recent re-opening of Irish society.

"However, social and economic recovery from this pandemic is far from global. Inequalities in vaccine access between high- and low-income countries remain stark, and this is prolonging the global public health emergency,” Ms de Barra said.

“Pharmaceutical companies currently have too much power and control over where Covid-19 vaccines are produced and at what price. Meanwhile vaccine inequity is having a huge impact on poorer countries.

"Countries must be allowed to produce their own generic versions of vaccines. This is about global solidarity and justice for the world’s most vulnerable communities.

“Direct impacts of this inequality are reflected in preventable deaths and the rising numbers of people living in extreme poverty and hunger. Vaccine inequality also increases the risk of new coronavirus variants emerging that threaten the social and economic recovery globally.”

Ms de Barra called on the people of Donegal to support the proposed temporary intellectual property waiver (TRIPS), which would enable the manufacture of affordable vaccines and their predictable supply around the world.

The waiver has been supported by the vast majority of members of the World Trade Organisation, however, the EU has persisted in opposing the initiative.

“Trócaire is calling on the people of Donegal to stand with those most at risk of Covid-19 by urging the Irish Government to support the temporary TRIPS waiver and work to ensure that the EU reverses its blockage of the TRIPS waiver.

“It is very welcome that the Irish Government has been donating vaccines to low-income countries, but this is insufficient in the context of a global pandemic. I believe it is past time for Ireland to raise its voice in favour of the temporary waiver at the World Trade Organisation,” Ms de Barra said.

You can sign the petition here: https://www.trocaire.org/petitions/ireland-speak-up-for-vaccine-equity/