Discover this podcast and so much more

Podcasts are free to enjoy without a subscription. We also offer ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more for just $11.99/month.

Vaccine nationalism and vaccine equity — Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée

Vaccine nationalism and vaccine equity — Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée

FromIn Pursuit of Development


Vaccine nationalism and vaccine equity — Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée

FromIn Pursuit of Development

ratings:
Length:
30 minutes
Released:
Feb 20, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

I was recently made aware of the fact that 10 wealthy countries have monopolized 75% of all vaccinations delivered worldwide. This has led the United Nations to sharply criticize the world’s wealthy countries for hogging Covid vaccines. In light of growing vaccine nationalism, many voices have for long been calling for global sharing of vaccines. But it turns out 130 countries have not received a single dose of a Covid vaccine. Thus, we are at a critical moment when vaccine equity appears to be the biggest moral test before the global community.Indeed, numerous recent opinion pieces in the media have highlighted how vaccine nationalism – driven by power and competition between states aimed at protecting the national interest – has several negative consequences for low-income countries. A few days ago, Kenya petitioned the UN Security Council to urge wealthy countries not to hoard surplus Covid-19 vaccine supplies, adding its voice to calls for global production to be shared more equally.Without equal access to vaccines, public-health experts have warned that the pandemic could continue to live on residually for years on end, resulting in more deaths and further economic collapse. When the virus remains endemic somewhere, it will continue to pose a threat everywhere.But there are also some promising initiatives currently underway. One of these is the COVAX Initiative – the drive to ensure that vaccines reach low-income countries – which the World Health Organization and countries like Norway have been promoting as the fastest way to end the pandemic. But how effective has it been thus far? And are countries being generous in allocating resources to this Initiative?To discuss vaccine nationalism, the merits of the COVAX Initiative and vaccine diplomacy being carried out by China and India, I am joined by Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée, who is working on a PhD in political science and is based at the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo. Over the years, he has worked extensively on global health governance and global cooperation to manage dangerous disease outbreaks such as Ebola. He has been particularly active in the media of late in pointing out the dangers of vaccine nationalism.Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée on TwitterDan Banik and In Pursuit of Development on Twitter
Released:
Feb 20, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

If you are interested in democracy, poverty eradication and climate change, this is your go-to podcast for a deeper understanding of the politics of global development. In each episode, we discuss the experiences of developing and “emerging economies” in Africa, Asia and Latin America. While we examine major global challenges and highlight various “problems”, we also highlight what works on the ground. This podcast is hosted by Professor Dan Banik from the Centre for Development and the Environment at the University of Oslo (Twitter: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod).