UAE: A true friend in need
At the outset, I profusely thank the UAE government and its people for their concern for India in fighting the deadly COVID-19 (“Medical supplies from UAE arrive in India grappling to fight COVID-19 pandemic”, Gulf News, April 30). Furthermore, they have displayed their magnanimity by sending essential medical supplies required to combat the present COVID-19 situation. This generous assistance testifies the existing strong ties between the two countries.
From Mr MVS Guptha
Bangalore, India
Helping less fortunate
The second wave of COVID-19 has taken a massive toll on the lives and people's health and has brought agony, unemployment, and hunger. It has also destroyed the prospects of children. It is a dreadful scenario the nation has ever faced in the last century. Due to the pandemic, the most affected are daily wage earners due to unemployment. In these trying times, we should go beyond the call of duty and show empathy to those who need support and help them with food packets, medicines and do whatever we can. I am over 70, and I have witnessed so many such devastating tragedies. People have always risen to occasion and helped those less fortunate brethren who were victims. NGOs, social organisations, individual groups, religious and philanthropic institutions should rise to the occasion and immediately participate in helping the less fortunate.
From Mr Ramesh G Jethwani
Bangalore, India
US: Intellectual Property rights over COVID-19 vaccines
President Biden has done well to signal that the USA will support the waiver of Intellectual Property (IP) protection over lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines (“COVID-19: ‘Secret sauce’ of mRNA vaccines to be revealed?”, Gulf News, May 06). The world is going through an unprecedented crisis, and pharma companies should unite to share technical know-how to save humanity. There are qualified manufacturers worldwide who can manufacture vaccines to ensure quick and rapid dispersion. However, the European nations need to support the IP waiver initiative. The continent of Africa, with 1.3 billion people, has hardly received any vaccines. India, which makes around 20 per cent of the world’s vaccine, struggles to vaccinate its people due to intense shortages. The only viable solution to resolve the pandemic is widespread vaccination. Vaccines should be produced across the developing world, even in some African countries which have production facilities. The European Union and other rich countries should support the initiative to share vaccine technologies worldwide to prevent further misery. No other nation should suffer the pain and anguish that India is witnessing today. Countries like Cuba have plants to manufacture vaccines. They are yet experimenting and undertaking trials. However, why waste time to re-invent the wheel when it has been discovered and is working? Just share the existing technologies so that all the vaccine plants worldwide can start manufacturing. Pharma companies should see this opportunity to serve humanity. Sure, they will lose some profits. However, governments of countries should be willing to evolve a formula to reimburse the pharma companies for any loss of profits. After all, pharma companies, which have laboured to discover the vaccines, should garner their due rewards for their endeavours and investments. However, saving human lives is also vital.
From Mr Rajendra Aneja
Mumbai, India
Tokyo Olympics
It is unfortunate that our ace badminton players, Saina Nehwal and Kadambi Srikanth, would miss their chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics due to the postponement of the Malaysia Open. It is a real blow to them individually as also for our Indian team as a whole. Thankfully the Badminton Association of India (BAI) is taking the issue up with the concerned authorities to conduct the qualifying events so that both our players could board the flight to Tokyo.
From Ms Janaki Mahadevan
Chennai, India
