In an interview with SkyNews on May 2, when asked if he would share the Covid-19 vaccine formula with developing countries, Bill Gates said `no`.
`There are only a few vaccine factories around the world where people strictly follow safety regulations. Transferring vaccines, for example from a factory in the US to a facility in India, is new, just
He said that if the US does not spend large sums of money to transfer technology, developing countries will not be able to produce Covid-19 vaccines.
Bill Gates spoke at the world health summit in Berlin, Germany, October 2018.
Contrary to Gates’ statement, India is one of the countries that demonstrates superior technological levels in development and production to become the world’s vaccine center.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres considers India’s vaccine export activities `the best asset the world has` to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
India’s achievement is considered to be in contrast to Gates’ statement that technology transfer is a major obstacle in sharing vaccine patents.
Gates’ controversial comments have drawn more public attention to his influence on global vaccine production.
Gates’ comments were judged to show an attitude of valuing profits from vaccines, instead of saving millions of lives.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced an investment of more than 250 million USD in vaccine production.
US President Joe Biden’s administration said on May 5 that the country supports lifting patent protection measures on Covid-19 vaccines to end the pandemic.
Biden is under great pressure when urged by many parties to remove protections for vaccine manufacturers, especially in the context of rich countries being criticized for hoarding Covid-19 vaccines while poorer countries
WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the US decision `historic` and marked `a huge milestone in the fight against Covid-19`.
Covid-19 broke out in December 2019, appearing in 220 countries and territories with nearly 157 million infections, nearly 3.3 million deaths and more than 134 million people recovered.
