scholarly journals Prioritizing ‘equity’ in COVID-19 vaccine distribution through Global Health Diplomacy

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-287
Author(s):  
Bawa Singh ◽  
Vijay Kumar Chattu
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Global Health Diplomacy ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
Health Diplomacy ◽  
The World

With over 4 million deaths worldwide, the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)pandemic is regarded as one of the worst pandemics in history. With its wider devastating consequences, even so-called affluent countries could not provide full coverage for COVID-19vaccines and medications to all of their citizens. Against this backdrop, the main aim of this article is to examine how Global Health Diplomacy (GHD) can play a role in prioritizing vaccine equity in the global health agenda in the fight against COVID-19. The majority of developed countries’ healthcare systems have been exposed and have reached a tipping point.After the completion of eighteen months of the pandemic, only five countries were able to produce vaccines for the treatment of COVID-19. This pandemic has divided the world into two blocs: those with vaccines, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and India; and those without, such as the rest of the world. The greatest challenges are vaccine inequalities, inequities and distribution, which undermine the global economic recovery. Many poor countries are still waiting for the initial doses to be delivered to their citizens, while some rich nations are planning for booster doses. GHD plays a critical role in establishing successful global collaborations, funding mechanisms and ensuring international cooperation through the combined efforts of all stakeholders. Besides, global solidarity is necessary to lessen the wider gaps between the vaccination status of rich and poor nations. Therefore, through GHD, the vaccine gaps and inequities can be addressed to strengthen global health security and accelerate global economic recovery.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and Chinese Global Health Diplomacy: Geopolitical Opportunity for China’s Hegemony?

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 318-340
Author(s):  
Priya Gauttam ◽  
Bawa Singh ◽  
Jaspal Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Main Argument ◽  
Global Health Diplomacy ◽  
Health Diplomacy ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Developed Countries

Health diplomacy has remained an important part of foreign policy of major countries to expand their geopolitical influence across the world. Given the outbreak of COVID-19, the inadequate healthcare systems even of the developed countries have been exposed. Although China was blamed for the origination of COVID-19, concomitantly, the same country had exploited the global health emergency by putting its global health diplomacy in practice as a soft power tool to expand its geopolitical influence in term of hegemony, vis-→-vis the USA. Whereas, on the contrary, the USA and European Union (EU) have been critically entrapped in the pandemic and remained at crossroads, how to deal with the same locally and globally. In these contrasting roles and reciprocation, the main argument of the article is that China had made the best use of its health diplomacy to expand its geopolitical influence, while the USA and EU did not rise to the occasion; rather, their roles and reciprocation have remained delayed and inert. In this backdrop, the main focus of this article is to examine how China used its global health diplomacy as a soft power tool? Second, would China become hegemon in the present scenario vis-→-vis the USA?

scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccine, TRIPS, and Global Health Diplomacy: India’s Role at the WTO Platform

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Kumar Chattu ◽  
Bawa Singh ◽  
Jaspal Kaur ◽  
Mihajlo Jakovljevic
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
World Trade Organization ◽  
Intellectual Property Rights ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Global Health Diplomacy ◽  
Health Diplomacy ◽  
The World

In light of the devastation caused by COVID-19, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and vaccine research and development (R&D) have been occupying a prominent position in the field of global health diplomacy (GHD). Most countries, international organizations, and charitable organizations have been engaged in the R&D of COVID-19 vaccines to ensure timely affordability and accessibility to all countries. Concomitantly, the World Trade Organization (WTO) provides some provisions and enforcements regarding copyrights, patents, trademarks, geographical indications, and industrial designs. Given these safeguards, it is considered that intellectual property rights (IPRs) have become major barriers to the affordability and accessibility of vaccines/medicines/technology, particularly to the developing/least developed countries. Realizing the gravity of the pandemic impact, as well as its huge population and size, India has elevated this issue in its global health diplomacy by submitting a joint proposal with South Africa to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a temporary waiver of IPRs to ensure timely affordability and accessibility of COVID-19 medical products to all countries. However, the issue of the temporary waive off had become a geopolitical issue. Countries that used to claim per se as strong advocates of human rights, egalitarianism, and healthy democracy have opposed this proposal. In this contrasting milieu, this paper is aimed at examining how the TRIPS has become a barrier for developing countries’ development and distribution of vaccines/technology; secondly, how India strategizes its role in the WTO in pursuant of its global health diplomacy? We conclude that the IPRs regime should not become a barrier to the accessibility/affordability of essential drugs and vaccines. To ensure access, India needs to get more engaged in GHD with all the involved global stakeholders to get strong support for their joint proposal. The developed countries that rejected/resisted the proposal can rethink their full support.

Brain Drain Controversy and African Scholars

1979 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 27-30
Author(s):  
Man Singh Das
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Asian Student ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The World

The phenomenon popularly known as brain drain has attracted growing concern in the United States and abroad (Tulsa Daily World, 1967; Committee on Manpower... 1967; Asian Student, 1968a: 3; 1968b: 1; 1969: 3; Institute of Applied Manpower . . . 1968; U. S. Congress, 1968; Gardiner, 1968: 194-202; Bechhofer, 1969: 1-71; Committee on the International Migration . . . 1970). The notion has been expressed that the poor countries of the world are being deprived of their talent and robbed of their human resources by the exchange of scholars and students which goes on between nations (U.S. Congress, 1968: 16-25; Mondale, 1967a: 24-6; 1967b: 67-9). Implicit is the idea that many students from these less developed countries go to the more highly developed and industrialized countries for study and decide not to return to their homeland.

scholarly journals Rethinking and strengthening the Global Health Diplomacy through triangulated nexus between policy makers, scientists and the community in light of COVID-19 global crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed AlKhaldi ◽  
Nigel James ◽  
Vijay Kumar Chattu ◽  
Sara Ahmed ◽  
Hamza Meghari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
National Unity ◽  
Global Health Diplomacy ◽  
Global Crisis ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Health Diplomacy ◽  
Pandemic Response ◽  
Global Solidarity

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic is considerably the biggest global health challenge of this modern era. Spreading across all regions of the world, this corona virus disease has disrupted even some of the most advanced economies and healthcare systems. With an increasing global death toll and no near end in sight, questions on the efficacy of global response mechanisms, including the role and relevancy of global health institutions, have emerged. Using a reflexive content analytic approach, this study sheds light on some of these questions, underscoring the disconnect between science, policymaking, and society. Global health funding approaches; politicization of the pandemic, including political blame gaming; mistrust of government and other institutions; and a lack of robust accountability measures are some of the pandemic response obstacles. However, COVID-19 has also presented an opportunity for a collaboration that may potentially solidify global solidarity. A pandemic response built on strategic global health diplomacy, vaccine diplomacy, and science diplomacy can spur both political and economic benefits, advancing development, health security, and justice. The virus thrives and flourishes in face of political divisions and lack of cooperation. While the current global crisis has exacerbated the existing social injustices in societies, national unity and global solidarity is essential to winning the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Global health diplomacy at the intersection of trade and health in the COVID-19 era

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Vijay Kumar Chattu ◽  
Shalini Pooransingh ◽  
Hamid Allahverdipour
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Developing Nations ◽  
Equitable Access ◽  
Global Health Diplomacy ◽  
Recent Proposal ◽  
Building Capacity ◽  
Health Diplomacy ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Population

Global health diplomacy has gained significant importance and undoubtedly remained high on the agendas of many nations, regional and global platforms amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Many countries have realized the importance of the health sector and the value of a healthy workforce. However, there is little control on issues related to trade that impact on human health due to the dominance of profit-oriented business lobbies. A balance, however, needs to be struck between economic profits and a healthy global population. This paper aimed to highlight the importance of building capacity in global health diplomacy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic so that health personnel may effectively negotiate on the multisectoral stage to secure the resources they need. The recent proposal to waive off certain provisions of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19 by India and South Africa at the World Trade Organization (WTO) presents an important opportunity for all governments to unite and stand up for public health, global solidarity, and equitable access at the international level so that both developed and developing nations may enjoy improved health outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Strengthening the COVID-19 pandemic response, global leadership, and international cooperation through global health diplomacy

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 300-305
Author(s):  
Sumbal Javed ◽  
Vijay Kumar Chattu
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
International Cooperation ◽  
Common Interest ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Public Good ◽  
Global Health Diplomacy ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Health Diplomacy ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to claim lives around the world and, to some extent, reflects the failure of international cooperation. Global health diplomacy (GHD)can be a bridge for international cooperation for tackling public health crises, strengthening health systems through emphasizing universal health coverage for sustainable and equitable development, and rebuilding multilateral organizations. It can be a catalyst for future global health initiatives. Health should not be used as a political tool at the cost of people’s lives, nor should it become a proxy for geopolitics but can be used to diffuse tensions and create a positive environment for political dialogue. Health diplomacy’s focus should be to mitigate inequality by making available diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines as a global public good. The implications for the lack of international cooperation will lead to increased global disparities and inequities as the countries that cannot procure vaccines will find their population more vulnerable to the pandemic’s repercussion. Though the international cooperation on trade has suffered the impact of geopolitical shifts and competition, through engaging in GHD, the governments can align the trade and health policies. Amid this global health crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) has faced an increase in International Health Regulations violations, limiting its influence and response during this COVID-19 pandemic. Nations need to develop a sense of cooperation that serves as the basis for a mutual strategic trust for international development. The priorities of all the countries should be to find the areas of common interest, common operational overlap on development issues, and resource allocation for this global fight against COVID-19.

scholarly journals Global Health Diplomacy Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Strategic Opportunity for Improving Health, Peace, and Well-Being in the CARICOM Region—A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Vijay Kumar Chattu ◽  
Georgina Chami
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Global Health Diplomacy ◽  
Equity Issues ◽  
Health Diplomacy ◽  
Health Goals ◽  
Disease Epidemics

Increased globalization has ushered in changes in diplomatic purposes and practices. As such, global health diplomacy (GHD) has become a growing field connecting the urgencies of global health and foreign affairs. More academics and policy-makers are thinking about how to structure and utilize diplomacy in pursuit of global health goals. This article aims to explore how the health, peace, and well-being of people in the region can be achieved through global health diplomacy. A systematic review of the literature was conducted on various terms such as “Global Health Diplomacy OR Foreign Policy”; “Disasters”, “Infectious disease epidemics” OR “Non-Communicable diseases” AND “Caribbean” by searching PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science databases, and Google Scholar search engines. A total of 33 articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed, and the critical role of GHD was highlighted. There is an increasing need to understand the complex global health challenges, coupled with the need to design appropriate solutions. Many regional initiatives addressing infectious and chronic diseases have been successful in multiple ways by strengthening unity and also by showing directions for other nations at a global level, e.g., the Port of Spain Summit declaration. GHD has a great scope to enhance preparedness, mitigation, peace, and development in the region. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the region needs to strengthen its efforts on equity issues, health promotion, and sustainable development to promote peace and well-being.

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