(Interview with Vietnam Financial Times)
The Covid-19 vaccine fund is a proper strategy to secure the huge financial resources needed for vaccination while reducing dependence on the government and state budget. Publicity and transparency are the most important keys to mobilizing resources for the fund.
This is the statement of Ms. Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur - National Director of Oxfam in Vietnam, in an interview with a reporter from the Vietnam Financial Times.
Reporter: Do you have any comments about Vietnam's current efforts to access the Covid-19 vaccine?
Ms. Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur: We highly appreciate the efforts of the Vietnamese government to access vaccines. However, this will need to be deployed strategically on multiple fronts to address the challenges of vaccine supply and shelf life. Vietnam also needs to develop a thorough plan for the implementation of a national vaccination program to ensure that every citizen has access to vaccines.
The fourth wave of epidemics in Vietnam with complicated developments requires us to accelerate the import of vaccines. Ensuring a sufficient number of vaccines to immunize the entire population of nearly 100 million people; planning and organizing a fair national immunization program for all, prioritizing frontline workers and the most vulnerable groups; as well as calculating other factors including capacity, time, and logistics of vaccination are all noteworthy issues.
Reporter: In order to implement the fastest and widest strategies to access the Covid-19 vaccine, a secure financial resource is an important factor. On May 26, a decision to establish Covid-19 Vaccine Fund is signed by the Prime Minister. Could you please tell me your opinion on the establishment of the Vaccine Fund, especially in the situation when the state budget still faces many difficulties and can hardly create epidemic prevention for the entire population if only based on the budget?
Ms. Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur: An establishment of the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund has been approved by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to mobilize contributions from both domestic and abroad sources for the purchase, import, research, and production of vaccines. This is a precise strategy to ensure a huge financial resource needed for vaccination while reducing dependence on the government and the state budget. This is especially important in the context that the state budget needs to be focused on mitigating the effects of the pandemic through support packages for citizens, especially people and small businesses who are affected and struggled the most.
The lack of publicity and transparency of pharmaceutical corporations as well as high vaccine prices are Oxfam's big concern as they could drain financial resources, and threaten Vietnam's ability to spend on the health system and other urgent needs to help people escape the risk of falling into poverty. Pharmaceutical corporations have earned billions of dollars from vaccines, it is the government's responsibility to protect countries from heavier debt and burnout when purchasing vaccines at unacceptably high prices.
Reporter: In your opinion, what is the solution to effectively mobilize resources in society for this Vaccine Fund?
Ms. Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur: Publicity and transparency are the most important keys to mobilizing resources for the Vaccine Fund. Detailed information on the purpose of the fund establishment, including the purchase, production, and research of vaccines, should be published widely. Specifically, the total amount of resources needed for various purposes of the fund, the affordability of the state budget, and the amount of finance to be mobilized from other public and private sources should be brought out. The government should specify who can contribute and in what form can they contribute as well.
Information on public and transparent management mechanisms for funds and contributions should be detailed and specific. It is also important to organize propaganda to raise awareness among the people about the need for a vaccine fund.
Reporter: What policy recommendations do you have for the management and use of this fund to ensure its effective operation as well as distribution so that everyone has access to vaccines?
Ms. Babeth Ngoc Han Lefur: In my opinion, in order for the fund management to be effective and available for everyone, it is necessary to ensure publicity and transparency in the operation of the fund, together with a clear and detailed mechanism on how the fund and contributions are managed.
The government needs to consult relevant stakeholders to come up with a list of priority subjects having the highest risk of infection, based on clear criteria, such as medical workers on the front lines of the fight against the epidemic, workers in crowd factories, elderly people, those most affected by social distancing and control measures including migrant and low-income workers, women in need and other disadvantaged groups.
The state needs to organize propaganda to raise people's awareness of the essentials of vaccines, ensuring their readiness as well. At the same time, a good plan should be made to build the capacity and response of medical staff, ready to deploy the distribution and use of vaccines across the country.
PV: Thank you, ma'am!
Exemption from the principle of intellectual property protection on Covid-19 vaccines
According to the representative of Oxfam in Vietnam, globally, the amount of vaccines being produced is not enough to meet the needs of everyone. The crucial issue is that only a few pharmaceutical corporations are allowed to manufacture vaccines, however, they are refusing to share intellectual property and manufacturing technology. This prevents qualified manufacturers in many other countries, including Vietnam, from producing vaccines in their own countries and contributing to the global vaccine supply. Vietnam is testing vaccines domestically, we have the capacity to produce more vaccines and become an mRNA technology transfer center. However, these efforts are being hampered by principles of intellectual property protection. These principles need to be waived in the context of the pandemic.
Read the full interview here.