South Asian govts must ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines: AI

Governments in South Asia must ensure that vulnerable groups are not excluded from access to COVID-19 vaccines, said Amnesty International (AI), reports UNB.

It called on the international community to enable the production of vaccines at the national-level to address the severe shortfall in supply across the region.

"As vaccine campaigns have been rolled out, marginalised groups across South Asia have been effectively locked out by practical barriers. South Asia's governments must ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for everyone irrespective of caste, socio-economic or other status, race, or nationality," said Yamini Mishra, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Director.

Mishra said the lack of access to vaccine supply in most countries across the region is a real and pressing concern that needs to be urgently addressed.

"However, this must not provide cover to these countries to unduly limit access to vaccines, for example, by not reaching out to vulnerable groups to tell them how they can get vaccinated. Who you are and where you live should not determine access to the vaccine."

As vaccination programmes have commenced across South Asia, groups including slum dwellers, Dalits, ethnic minorities, workers including labourers, daily wage earners, sanitation workers, garment workers and tea plantation workers, people in rural areas, prisoners, and internally displaced people have so far been denied access due to a lack of awareness and limited access to technology in most places.

Meanwhile, others including refugees and migrants have been excluded entirely from government vaccine campaigns in many countries for now.

With vaccines in short supply, most countries in South Asia have not inoculated more than six per cent of their population with even a first dose, with efforts so far reaching middle and higher-income groups.

Amnesty International is calling on governments across the world to waive provisions of the global treaty governing rights and patents on properties including medicines.