Brazilian State Governors Arrange Meeting with W.H.O. to Address Covid-19 Vaccine

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Piauí state Governor Wellington Dias is organizing a meeting with Jarbas Barbosa, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) regional workshop for the Americas, to discuss the Covid-19 vaccine.

Dias was chosen by his peers in the Governors Forum to be the spokesperson on the articulations regarding the product that, although not yet scientifically proven, has already prompted legal proceedings and deadlocks involving the state and federal governments. The goal is to define a line for vaccine development in Brazil, aligned with the W.H.O.’s work all over the world.

Next week, the governors will meet with the presidents of the Chamber Rodrigo Maia and the Senate Davi Alcolumbre, to address the issue. The intention is to try to find ways through the Legislative branch to ensure the full development of the research in progress in Brazil and, once approved by the legal bodies, secure its distribution.

Rodrigo Maia has said that the Federal Supreme Court (STF) cannot be left to decide on issues related to the drug. According to the Chamber President, Congress and the Executive Branch should take the lead in this discussion regarding the obligatory nature of the vaccine.

There are currently two main deadlocks surrounding the vaccine in Brazil. One is whether the vaccination should be mandatory or not. President Jair Bolsonaro is against enforcing the vaccine. The other concerns the development and the government’s refusal to the production of the Coronavac, developed by the Chinese laboratory Sinovac and the Butantan Institute, in São Paulo.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly said that he will not purchase this specific vaccine because of its origin. Depending on the course of studies, the Coronavac may be approved before the vaccine under development by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), with AstraZeneca, which is endorsed by Bolsonaro. The governors defend that, irrespective of the vaccine’s origin, all research should be encouraged by the government and be distributed to Brazilians through the SUS – Brazil’s National Health Service.

Source: O Estado de S. Paulo

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