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07 Focus in Continuity: A Framework for Malaysia's Foreign
Policy in a Post-Pandemic World - A Monograph
vaccines thus can even provide booster
doses to their population. It is not the case
in the low-income countries in which until
The COVID-19 vaccination is the largest now, their vaccination rate remains at a
e ort of its kind in human history. People’s low level even for their primary series
life and health must always be our first vaccination. Hence, countries with exces-
priority, and economic, political or other sive supply should donate their vaccines to
interests must not precede them. Vaccines these lower income countries especially
are first and foremost a global public good; those with high incidence and mortality
we must ensure they remain so and reject rate of COVID-19 infection.
rising vaccine nationalism. They are
supposed to be used as a weapon to save
lives, not a means by any country for
selfish gains, still less a tool for geopolitical
rivalry.
a) Firstly - the production deficit. While
ramping up total supply, producing
countries should also support developing Vaccine development is uniquely challeng-
countries through technology transfer and ing. The cost of vaccine development from
joint production, and safeguard the global its research and discovery to registration is
supply chain of raw materials. high, ranging from an estimated USD 200
to 500 million. The costs may be further
b) Secondly - the distribution deficit. amplified by post-approval requirements
Vaccines should be shared with greater for additional studies before broad
intensity and speed to make them recommendations are made. Furthermore,
accessible and a ordable for developing safety and e ectiveness studies to assess
countries as quickly as possible, especially the benefit-risk profile are essential for
the least developed countries. vaccines.
c) Thirdly - the cooperation deficit. This Other components, including technical
requires greater solidarity and sense of development issues and clinical trial
responsibility, and full mobilisation of implementation, contribute to vaccine
governments, businesses and international development challenges in Malaysia. Even
organisations, to form synergy. in the best of circumstances, large
studies with good safety, e cacy, and
immunogenicity objectives are di cult to
implement. Potential concerns among
communities about study conduct, myths,
rumours and misinformation that may
Many high-income countries had the circulate once the study has started are
luxury to have an excessive supply of
also challenging to address.
