On 23 September, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean was invited by the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development (DIHAD) to present its study on “Covid – 19 Vaccine”. This comprehensive study tackles all known aspects of the Covid-19 vaccine, including population immunity, the ongoing stage of development process of the vaccine, its uptake, distribution, access and more and provides recommendations, and core actions to be considered to promote fair and equitable access when a safe and effective vaccine shall become available.
The online session, followed by 130 registered participants, was hosted and moderated by Index Media in the UAE, and panelists included Amb. Sergio Piazzi, PAM Secretary General, and Prof. Mukesh Kapila, PAM Senior Medical Advisor, and Dr Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman if DIHAD and DISAB.
Amb. Piazzi analyzed the most apparent weaknesses, fractures and inequalities of the existing systems and infrastructures exposed by the pandemic, from health care to digital technology and remote teaching at schools, as well as the worrying raise of domestic violence, and violation of human rights. In this regard, he presented the activities carried out by PAM on the many implications of Covid-19, to address, among others, the security dimension, the economic recovery, and the impact of the pandemic on human rights, the fundamental freedoms and the most vulnerable groups in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions.
From his side, Professor Kapila presented the status of knowledge and action with regard to vaccination on Covid-19, and the core actions recommended to promote fair and equitable access, when a safe and effective vaccine shall become available. He also referred to the difficult balance between individual and collective human rights and liberties in terms of healthcare, as well as to the COVAX partnership, developed by WHO, to ensure equitable vaccine access by every country.
To address all these issues in their complexity, PAM will organize a series of seminars to address global health and governance at the time of Covid-19. The programme will deal with key aspects of human rights, legal issues, training, international cooperation, vulnerable groups, food security and mass populations movements, so that everybody becomes better informed in addressing strategic policies and decisions at all levels.