Bangladesh calls for waiver at World Health Assembly to ramp up Covid-19 vaccine production

Bangladesh has made a strong call for a temporary waiver from certain TRIPS obligations for the production of vaccines, medicines and other health technologies to effectively respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The call was made at the 74th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) held virtually on May 24-June 1 in Geneva. A Bangladesh delegation, led by Health Minister Zahid Maleque and in direct collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in Geneva, attended the assembly.

Bangladesh delegation in its statement said the pharmaceutical industries across the developing countries, including Bangladesh, capable of producing vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other medical equipment should get licenses as well as technology and technical know-how to produce the vaccines and health technologies for Covid-19. Those items should be provided to other developing countries free of cost.

The Bangladesh delegation highlighted the timely and swift actions taken by Bangladesh, including health measures and stimulus packages, to combat the socio-economic impacts posed by the pandemic, according to a statement from Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva today.

In addition, Bangladesh called for paying due attention to the need to promote mental health across the globe and ensure sustainable funding for a strong World Health Organization (WHO).

Mustafizur Rahman, Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Bangladesh to the UN in Geneva, delivered two joint statements on mental health and antimicrobial resistance on behalf of WHO's Southeast Asian region consisting of 11 countries, including Bangladesh.

A total of 35 resolutions and decisions on various issues related to health were adopted by the WHA.