Let’s fight Covid-19 together, save lives

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought "urgent global attention and further collaboration" to defeat the coronavirus pandemic, save lives and accelerate economic recovery.

She said Bangladesh stands ready to work with all in this global efforts.

Delivering her pre-recorded speech at the 31st special session of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday evening (New York time), the premier placed a three-point proposal.

Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Chair Azerbaijan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened the two-day special session in response to the pandemic.

The PM's three-point proposal is: ensuring universal and equitable access to quality Covid-19 vaccine, transferring technology to developing countries to manufacture it locally, and providing them with financial assistance to face challenges in the wake of the pandemic.

In her first proposal, Hasina said the world needs to ensure universal, equitable, timely and affordable access to quality vaccines.

She pointed out that the 2030 development agenda recognised the fundamental role of Universal Health Coverage for achieving the SDGs guided by the principle of equity.

"In the same spirit, when it comes to access to vaccines, no one should be left behind… this would help us defeat the pandemic, save lives and accelerate our economic recovery."

The PM in her second proposal said the world must treat the novel coronavirus vaccine as a "global public good". The World Health Organisation initiative of Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) and COVAX facility can play a vital role in this regard, she added.

Hasina said the developed countries should commit to transferring technology for the local manufacturing of vaccines in developing countries using IP rights waiver under the TRIPS Agreement.

"Bangladesh has the capacity and is ready to produce vaccines if opportunity is given," she noted.

In her third proposal, the premier said the challenges faced by the developing countries in the context of the pandemic should be specifically recognised.

"The UN, international financial institutions, civil society alongside the national governments must do their share and actively cooperate with each other to combat Covid-19."

Hasina urged the international community to take a renewed pledge to accomplish the 2030 Agenda for a sustainable world.

She said the Covid-19 can never be brought under control in one place unless it is brought under control everywhere.

Mentioning that globally over 1.4 million people have already died and hundreds more are dying every day, she said the pandemic has made many people poorer, while many others are sliding back to poverty.

"Malnutrition, discrimination and increasing inequalities are gripping the nations, and the education system got disrupted. It caused sharp decline in trade, commerce and tourism impacting people's livelihoods."

The PM said the pandemic has devastated the health systems and economies across the world. "However, the pandemic offers us an opportunity for a united response to safeguard people's lives and livelihoods, and learn from the crisis to build back better."

She said the world's fight against Covid-19 has not ended yet as many countries are facing a second or third wave.

Noting that Bangladesh is also badly affected by the pandemic, Hasina said, "The Covid-19 has heavily impacted our economy, our lives and livelihoods, our migrant communities and jeopardised our hard-earned development gains."

She spelled out steps taken by her government to offset the novel coronavirus shock on various sectors of Bangladesh and minimise the sufferings of the people hit hard by the nationwide Covid-19 shutdown.

Hasina thanked the NAM chair and the UN secretary-general for convening the special UNGA session.

She hoped that the session would serve to galvanise collective actions, global solidarity and multilateral cooperation to deal with the pandemic.