Equal vaccine, medicine distribution needed to end pandemic: S. Korea

Ambassador of South Korea to Indonesia Park Tae-sung has emphasized the importance of equal and fair distribution of vaccines, medicines, and medical devices for dealing with and ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We must ensure equality and fairness in the distribution of vaccines, medicines, and medical devices to be able to end this pandemic,” Ambassador Park Tae-sung stated during a special interview with ANTARA on Friday (March 18, 2022).

To participate in building international solidarity and cooperation for dealing with the pandemic, South Korea, at the G7 meeting in Cornwall, England, committed to contributing US$200 million for the provision of vaccines through the COVAX AMC scheme, Ambassador Park informed.

“Through this contribution, we hope to provide opportunities for providing more vaccines to developing countries,” he said.

“South Korea has a vaccine production center that is well-known for its collaboration with leading vaccine manufacturers. South Korea is ready to contribute vaccines to countries in need,” he added.

COVAX AMC is a global mechanism that aims to distribute vaccines free of charge to 92 lower-middle- and low-income countries.

Ambassador Park emphasized the importance of technology transfer for the production of vaccines and medicines for handling COVID-19 as well as the standardization of global health protocols.

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“Regarding technology transfer in the fields of vaccines, medicines, and medical devices production, South Korean private companies have invested in some developing countries … and in that investment, they have also carried out technology transfers,” he informed.

The South Korean Ambassador also lauded Indonesia for setting global health architecture as one of the priority agendas for this year’s G20 forum.

“And I hope that through the G20 Summit, the G20 members can produce results that can increase the equality of vaccinations and transfer of technology as well as financial assistance. These results will certainly contribute to efforts to achieve the common target set at the G20 Summit in Italy, namely 70 percent of the world’s population can be vaccinated,” he said.

Source: Antara News