Abu Dhabi: Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it is well prepared to serve as a regional hub for the production of COVID-19 vaccines and other medicines and supplies, as well as for logistics activities, a senior official told the G20 ministerial meeting in Brindisi, Italy.
Abdullah Al Rabeeah, General Supervisor of the King Salman Relief and Humanitarian Action Centre added many countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa are still suffering from high rates of COVID-19 spread and that glaring inequities in vaccine supply meant that sufficient vaccine supplies have reached very few countries worldwide.
The G20 meeting, entitled ‘The role of logistics in preparedness and response for COVID-19 pandemic and future humanitarian and health crises’ seeks to turn the spotlight onto the role played by logistics in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future humanitarian and health crises.
Al Rabeeah said that the challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic requires us to work together to ensure a coordinated global response to protect the largest possible number of lives.
He stressed that finding closer cooperation among international communities in all aspects of health, humanitarian and development programmes and logistical services is a must.
“We are all aware that the world is facing unexpected challenges that came as a result of the global health emergency that began in the year 2020 and caused a devastating impact on economies, health systems, education, governance and social structures, hitting hard the most vulnerable groups in societies such as children, women and the elderly and those who suffer from hunger, conflict and natural disasters,” Al Rabeeah said.
He noted the sad reality that most (countries) are still suffering from high rates of spread, hospitalisations and deaths” and stressed that “increasing the access of all countries to vaccines is key to achieving global control over COVID-19 .. learning from the lessons (of COVID-19) is essential (when planning to address) future outbreaks.”
“Saudi Arabia strongly encourages regionalisation of pertinent industries — particularly in the Middle East, Africa and Asia,” Al Rabeeah said.
He added regional production of COVID-19 vaccines and other medicines and supplies would not only provide more vaccine availability but also create job opportunities and boost the ability of regional health care systems to control their own vaccine distribution and delivery.
“This approach would apply not only to vaccines and treatment medications but also to all other necessary equipment and supplies, such as PPE for hospital staff and the general public, ventilators, medical gases, etc,” he said.
Dr. Al Rabeeah said the Kingdom was uniquely equipped to become such a regional hub, and that other countries could be identified to serve their surrounding populations.
He added that since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia had invested a total of $713 million to support the global fight against COVID-19, including donations to Gavi, the COVAX Facility and CEPI. “KSrelief has also delivered bilateral assistance to a number of countries, including Yemen, Syria and Sudan, and aid to others via third-country delivery points.”
Dr. Al Rabeeah highlighted the Kingdom’s ongoing support for refugee communities worldwide, including extensive pandemic assistance to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan, and a number of other refugee groups with concentrations in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Over the past three decades, Saudi Arabia has provided $17 billion in support for refugees both internationally and for those living in Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Al Rabeeah said, “Unless all of us are safe, none of us are safe”, adding that this truth applies “to all future disease outbreaks that occur anywhere in the world.” He called for the vital need “for all countries to contribute financially to global solutions for global pandemics because no country is immune to the threat of future diseases such as COVID-19.”
“We must find ways,” he added. “To increase the donor base for developing reliable, effective pandemic preparedness and logistics systems, and Saudi Arabia can be a potential hub for such activities,” he said.
