Khairy to World Bank: Speak out against immoral act of vaccine hoarding

KUALA LUMPUR: Blasting the act of vaccine hoarding among industrialised nations as extremely immoral, Khairy Jamaluddin wants the World Bank to raise the issue on behalf of developing nations.

The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister called for vaccine equity among nations now and in the future, saying it would be the only way to emerge from the pandemic.

“We set up Covax in global solidarity as a mechanism to ensure vaccine equity and that has been an abysmal failure," he said, referring to the international scheme designed to ensure that poorer nations are not left behind in the Covid-19 fight.

“And I think the World Bank owes it to developing countries to be a strong voice for vaccine equity... to remind the advanced countries that what has taken place over the last few months has fallen short of respectable and responsible global leadership,” he said in a special address at the launch of the World Bank’s 24th Malaysia Economic Monitor entitled “Weathering the Surge” on Wednesday (June 23).

He digressed slightly from his speech to make the remarks before concluding his address.

Khairy, who is also Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, said while Malaysia is appreciative of the donations that will be received from developed countries in the coming weeks, it does not put an end to the cornering of the vaccine market that has occurred over the past few months.