NEW DELHI : By officially stating that no vaccine in history has developed as rapidly as the covid-19 vaccine, there is now a real risk that the poorest and most vulnerable will be trampled on in the vaccine stampede, the World Health Organization warned ( WHO).
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said on Monday that the scientific community has set a new standard for vaccine development, now the international community must set a new standard for access. The urgency with which vaccines have been developed must be matched by the same urgency to distribute them fairly, he said, adding that all governments want to do everything they can to protect their people.
With the latest positive news from vaccine trials, the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel is getting brighter, the WHO chief said. There is now real hope that vaccines, in combination with other tried and tested public health measures, will help end the pandemic. The importance of this scientific achievement cannot be overstated, Tedros said.
WHO said $ 4.3 billion is needed immediately to support the mass procurement and delivery of vaccines, tests and treatments. Another $ 23.8 billion will be needed next year.
In India also some candidate vaccines are in different phases of clinical trials. The Serum Institute of India (SII), based in Pune, is in a process to make Covishield that is being developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which is in phase 3 of clinical trials.
Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and its distribution in India. Additionally, Covaxin is being developed by Bharat Biotech in partnership with the country’s leading biomedical research body, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). Gujarat-based pharmaceutical giant Zydus Cadila Ltd is also developing another indigenous vaccine that is in the second phase of clinical trials.
The National Group of Experts on Vaccine Administration for covid-19 (NEGVAC), in consultation with state governments and all relevant stakeholders, has prepared and submitted a detailed vaccine storage, distribution and administration plan, said officials from the Union Ministry of Health.
The group of experts, in consultation with states, is also actively working on vaccine prioritization and distribution. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been saying that the government will ensure that the covid-19 vaccine, whenever available, reaches each and every Indian as soon as possible.
The government has already said that the database of health care and frontline workers, the increase in cold chains and the acquisition of syringes, needles, etc. They are in advanced stages of preparation to administer the COVID-19 vaccine at the earliest available opportunity. Amid covid-19 vaccination campaign plans to be carried out early next year, the central government has also asked states to form committees to streamline the process and increase acceptance of the vaccine among communities. Vaccine experts have said that for the vaccine to be available to each and every person, the government will have to adopt unique strategies.
“For universal vaccine coverage, the government should allow the sale of vaccines available in the private market by putting a price cap. In parallel, the government can begin the exercise to prioritize and administer vaccines at no cost to those who need them but cannot afford them, “said Naveen Thacker, Indian Expert Advisory Group on Polio and Voices for Vaccines International Scientific Advisory Council.
“This will have a dual purpose. One person will have the option of taking the vaccine and two will avoid the financial burden from the government. In addition, it will ease the burden on the government’s healthcare system. Of course, the government must issue and ensure that the guidelines are followed, “Thacker said.
When it comes to vaccine safety, scientists have called for more transparency in terms of adverse reactions to covid-19 vaccines. “We must remember that volunteers participating in vaccine trials in various countries are putting their own health at risk. They and their families also need to know the experience of global volunteers. Vaccine manufacturers must intensify their communication activities to maintain confidence in vaccines, “said Lalit Kant, scientist and former head of epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
“Pandemics are exceptional situations and require an exceptional need for transparency. Vaccine manufacturers must strike a balance between confidentiality and transparency in the interest of humanity and acceptance of their own vaccines,” he added.
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