India is struggling with a huge spike in COVID cases in the last few weeks
plus dealing with variant versions of the virus. This is not a unique problem
to the country, but something all nations are facing. However, the huge
population and less than ideal healthcare scenario in some states and pockets
have led to current problems. Many of the variants of the virus were not
originally from India, but from UK and South Africa. As viruses do, there is
however continuous mutations and we no longer know which version we are dealing
with or how many versions are going around.
I had feared such eventual results from the start of this pandemic for my country, just due to its sheer population and my fears have now come true. India had handled the pandemic with panache so far and supplied vaccines and other medicines to the rest of the world including HCQ to the US. Many of these were to developing countries at no or very little cost. Some countries of EU had contractual agreements for supply of vaccines as well and these are the countries who started having panic attacks seeing the crisis now in India. Understandable, but their reaction at a time of global emergency is not forgivable. Chancellor Merkel completely forgot to diplomatically sympathize with the people of India, while enquiring about the promised vaccines. Her poor choice of words shocked me and apparently a good many people and governments around the world.
In case you missed it, here is what she said: “The truth is, we haven’t treated our pharmaceutical industry so well for many years…I am glad that we still have pharmaceutical production in Belgium, Holland, Germany.” Highlighting the issue of vaccine shortage, she said, “We now have a situation with India where, in connection with the emergency situation of the pandemic, we are worried whether the pharmaceutical products will still come to us.”
Merkel also cautioned, “Of course, we have only allowed India to
become such a large pharmaceutical producer in the first place, also from the
European side, in the expectation that this should then also be complied with.
If that is not the case now, we will have to rethink.”
I would very much like to know how Germany and EU have "allowed"
India to become a pharmaceutical producer? Did they come up with extraordinary
contracts, privileges, tax exemptions on imports and exports or special
sanctions? And such criticism after India along with other countries have
repeatedly requested and proposed to WTO to suspend the IP rights over COVID
medical supplies. This was blocked by the USA and EU among other developed
countries. maybe if they did not care so much about profits, India can
manufacture and supply more vaccines? USA has blocked a lot of the necessary
ingredients being exported to India which affects the vaccine production. So,
who is to blame really?
Clearly the Indian government, its people and many around the world did not
see Merkel's comments as appropriate or the threat acceptable. Many geopolitics experts around the world have found her comments extremely patronizing and very backwards in thought. The Minister of
External Affairs of the Government of India sent out a subtle tweet regarding
multilateralism. The Embassy of Germany too sprang into action with a series of
tweets expressing concern for the situation and promising full cooperation to
fight the pandemic. Of course, they also claimed responsibility and bragging
rights for two private companies Linde and TATA coming together to secure and
airlift 24 oxygen transport tanks! Few hours ago, the Chancellor herself
announced that Germany was in solidarity with India and is urgently preparing a
mission of support. What kind of support is not clear yet, but the pressure to
support is exposed?
On the other hand, the Biden/Harris government has been under heavy
scrutiny for their silence to acknowledge the crisis in India or offer any kind
of support. Over the weekend, after being trolled mercilessly on social media
for their tepid response to India's situation, the US government has finally
released a statement of support and is working to send PPE kits, rapid
diagnostic kits and ventilators. I still do not hear about suspending the IP
rights to help in producing more vaccines or unblocking export of important
ingredients for vaccine production, but hoping good sense and common sense will
ultimately prevail! Even American citizens are tweeting their support and
asking their government to release unused vaccines in storage and release
patents, enabling easier manufacture of vaccines elsewhere. At least at the
time of a global pandemic, one would think this should be fast tracked,
approved and implemented without much discussion.
Good luck India in combating this pandemic. This too shall pass and you
will once again come out with flying colours. Stay strong!
#India #COVID #Germany #EU #Merkel #Biden #KamalaHarris #USA #Vaccine
#vaccinemaitri #pharmaceuticals #SJaishankar #GoI #Externalaffairs
#multilateralism #news #politics
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