The need for a global supply of corona vaccine

Open letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations

The need for a global supply of corona vaccine

Dear Mr. Antonio Guterres, The Honorable Secretary-General of the United Nations

Your Excellency,

As you know, the world has been plagued by the outbreak of the Corona virus pandemic for more than a year now. Covid - 19 continues to threaten the lives of people around the world. Our country, Iran, is one of the first countries in the world which the pandemic expanded rapidly due to ignorance, widespread government corruption and inefficiency, delay in taking necessary measures by officials, lack of preventive means due to economic sanctions, and the lack of timely provision of the vaccine. The situation has been difficult in Iran and it continues to be alarming. For more than a month now, the fourth wave of the Corona virus has spread widely. The number of patients per day has exceeded 20,000 and the number of daily deaths has exceeded four hundred and all this is happening where, according to some reports, hospitals no longer have the capacity to accept patients. The medical staff of the country is tired, worn out and exhausted, and there is the danger that the patients will be left alone.

Your Excellency,

As the World Health Organization has repeatedly stated, Covid - 19 disease is a global pandemic that can only be combated through united global actions. It is not feasible to leave poor countries alone while allocating the available resources to a few rich and powerful countries. No nation can build a wall around its country. The experience of the corona outbreak has shown that there is no guarantee that a nation will be safe while the disease continues to spread and new mutations start to appear at a global level. Therefore, confronting the Corona pandemic requires the solidarity of all the nations of the world.

Your Excellency,

You are aware that many countries around the world do not yet have access to vaccines. The number of people without access to vaccine is much higher than those in industrialized countries who have been vaccinated. In our country, Iran, despite the accelerating spread of the disease, less than one percent of the population has been vaccinated.

We believe that the fair distribution of vaccines among all countries requires the empowering of COVAX and, most importantly, providing the possibility of producing existing vaccines by revoking their licenses - albeit temporarily - in all countries that have the potential. Easy access to the vaccine and its production in all countries is a prerequisite for dealing with Quid 19 and the only solution that can free the world from this pandemic.

Your Excellency,

Given the United Nations undertaking at this juncture, it would be gratifying to take the necessary steps to address the medical needs of all countries to face the pandemic on your agenda. There are many people like the people of our country who need immediate action in this regard. We hope that your actions, as well as the lifting of US sanctions against our country, will be effective in providing vaccines for the suffering people of Iran from Covid - 19 pandemic.

Thank you in advance for your attention,

With respect,

Executive Board of the Left Party of Iran (People's Fadaian)

April 26, 2021