Greenpeace activists flash demand messages ahead of WTO council meet on vaccines

Greenpeace activists project messages in solidarity with the movement to temporarily drop the intellectual property rights on the COVID 19 vaccine and other therapeutics by approving the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) waiver so that developing countries can make the shot available to as many people as possible. WTO council meeting is scheduled for June 8-9.

Earlier in October last year, India and South Africa both had made a joint submission to the WTO TRIPs Council seeking a temporary waiver on certain provisions of the TRIPs Agreement. The waiver is sought to ensure prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19.

Last week, Greenpeace India had also written to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General, WTO asking her to ask big pharma companies to share their knowledge and not enforce intellectual property rights that hamper public health. It would then only help the developing nations to ramp up vaccine production.

"The unwillingness of big pharmaceutical companies to share the science and technology that's essential to ramp up production is delaying vaccine rollout in the Global South. In fact, the World Health Organisation referred to it as a "vaccine apartheid". The knowledge developed by these companies was significantly funded by public money hence, it's only logical that this knowledge is widely shared for the greater good. This is the time to record the power of humanity, not profits. A pandemic anywhere is a pandemic everywhere," stated Greenpeace India's letter to WTO chief.

"9 out of 10 people in developing countries may not receive a vaccine in 2021. India is facing a massive shortage of Covid-19 vaccines necessary to tackle the pandemic. The decisions by the WTO and the member delegates will either strengthen the fight against the pandemic or condemn a large section of the world's population to fight a losing battle against it," read the letter further.

"In solidarity with the proposal to temporarily drop the TRIPS on the COVID19 vaccine and other therapeutics by India, South Africa and other countries, Greenpeace activists together with allies from social movements and organisations, projected supportive messages at WTO headquarters. the messages demanded 'No patents on Life'. The upcoming TRIPS council meeting is a moment when governments from across the world can come together to end this ongoing vaccine inequity by approving the TRIPS waiver so that countries can make the vaccine available to everyone across the world, especially in the Global south. The world's richest countries should not be colluding with large pharmaceutical companies for eye-watering profits for the few at the expense of ensuring access to vaccines and all needed medical tools for the many," said Avinash Chanchal, Senior Climate Campaigner, Greenpeace India.

"We believe his meeting is a global moment for nations also to signal their willingness to be part of the journey towards greater justice and cooperation between the Rich and the developing nations of the world. The pandemic is not a singular event and must be seen as a part of many such moments of crisis that could indicate the nature of the evolving climate crisis as we struggle to stay below 1.5 degrees. The pandemic has offered an opportunity to reimagine our food systems, cities, mobility and access to basic facilities," added Chanchal.

Caption- Greenpeace activists project messages in solidarity with the movement to temporarily drop the intellectual property rights on the COVID-19 vaccine, outside the WTO building in Geneva.