Once developed, the vaccine against the novel coronavirus must be distributed throughout the world without becoming an instrument to maximize profits, said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Saturday.
Mitsotakis was speaking during the Coronavirus Global Response summit on Saturday, organized with the assistance of the international advocacy organization Global Citizen.
The prime minister was categorical in stating that a Covid-19 vaccine must be a public good.
“When science does its job we will be at the forefront of the fight for the vaccine to become a global public good and not just a means for making profit. The vaccine must reach every corner of the world and be accessible to all.”
Given that the threat posed by the virus was universal, Mitsotakis added, its treatment must also be universal.
The Greek prime minister also referred to the successful handling of the first wave of the pandemic in Greece, which allowed a gradual return to normality:
“The government, scientists and citizens have come together to fight the battle to keep our people healthy and safe and after three months we have emerged victorious. Our society and economy are returning to their normal rhythms.”
Mitsotakis noted that Greece has contributed three million euros to the Coronavirus Global Response campaign, whose goal is the equal access to diagnosis and treatment of the new coronavirus and the development of a vaccine that will be made available to all at an affordable price. The initiative, which was launched by the European Commission, has so far collected 9.8 billion euros, thanks to the contributions of dozens of countries, institutions and organizations. [amna]
