COVID Economics
The Making of India’s Vaccine Famine: Beyond the Global North v. Global South Duality by Swati Birla and Kuver Sinha https://spectrejournal.com/the-making-of-indias-vaccine-famine/
Extracts: The TRIPs waiver and easing of global trade regulations has now become the rallying cry for citizens’ groups, NGOs, and social movements across the world. In their call for action, prominent economists like Joseph Stiglitz, Jayati Ghosh, Rohinton Medhora, and others have argued for greater funding and political support for COVAX and a short-term TRIPs waiver, along with debt restructuring, as central planks to minimize the disparities between the Global South and North.
With the onset of liberalization in the 1990s, the responsibility to develop and manufacture vaccines was gradually relinquished as the state created a conducive environment for domestic pharmaceutical companies like Ranbaxy and Cipla through Patents Acts, foreign investment regulations, and amended industrial policies. India emerged as a leading generic drug maker and vaccine supplier during this period and by the middle of the decade pharmaceutical firms had started consolidating through mergers and acquisitions.
On the domestic front, on April 20, 2021, the SII received $400 million from the Indian central government’s vaccination budget to ramp up mass production of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. (Concurrently, Bharat Biotech received $200 million to ramp up production of the indigenously developed Covaxin). This funding, which amounts to 10% of the entire vaccine budget in 2021-22, was presented as an advance payment for vaccines that the SII was supposed to produce and supply in the next 2-3 months.
The Indian state’s approach to securing vaccines thus follows the classic (and global) incentive and subsidy approach for vaccine manufacturers: a demand guarantee and a price floor. In the name of mitigating risks for innovation, this approach has funneled public money into two private sectors, vaccine manufacturing and as we shall show now, through drug pricing into privatized health care. .. The inexorable future toward which vaccine capitalism is taking us is a Covid endemic: a future where Covid is a treatable disease for the upper middle classes and a continuous deadly infectious disease with a steady level of fatalities among the poor. Post-pandemic vaccine pricing and royalty flows almost guarantee an indefinite and infinite future demand for vaccines, which will be priced at far above their current rates and will, on the one hand, serve as a conduit through which massive wealth will be transferred from the public to the private sector, while on the other, being used by the Indian state as soft power currency and foreign policy cudgel.
Pandemic capital.. is both tethered to the infrastructure of the state, to the geopolitical social and the body politic of nations; but like the virus it transcends the boundaries of nations. The second wave of Covid in India has once again revealed the global supply chains that undergird vaccine manufacture and the porous boundaries of nation states – made so by the movement of materials, people, viruses, bonds, risks, investments.
What of the language of vaccine diplomacy, geopolitics, and the Global North versus the Global South? Remaining ensconced within the broader ambit of capital, this language, often emanating from the Left and ostensibly directed against the West, has little power to confront immiseration in a post-pandemic future. Unless firmly opposed to vaccine capitalism – the commodification of public health and medicine, the loot of public wealth – unless militantly poised against the enormous power of venture capital and vaccine corporations, from AstraZeneca to SII, such a framework ultimately amounts to taking sides with one form of capital versus another.
मिडिल क्लास पर हुआ है बज्रपात, दो साल में क्या सब कुछ छिन गया https://youtu.be/tnAzTVUNLs4?t=95 GIRIJESH VASHISTHA
Oct 7, 2023 inflation and show you how the middle-class people of India are going through a challenging time due to inflation after COVID-19. the rising prices of homes and cars and the widening wealth gap between the poor and the rich.
COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: An opportunity to revive the public health sector https://www.downtoearth.org.in/video/health/narendra-modi-government-can-easily-pay-for-covid-19-vaccines-here-s-how-76845
The World Health Organization has developed a framework for the production and distribution of vaccines. But the developed countries and their vaccine manufacturers, the ones responsible for developing these vaccines are against joining this initiative...
With an exponential rise in COVID cases, India’s health care sector is crumbling under the pressure. ..But this is where India's vaccination policy has gone completely wrong. The way India is handling its vaccination could lead to a greater crisis than the one we have seen so far. India has a universal immunization program that covers 12 diseases like tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, polio.
https://youtu.be/lzVSxY9Q_E4?t=397 Arnab Pratim Dutta of Down to Earth says that Public Sector Vaccine production facilities lying in disuse. Hafkine got one order receently, but six other public sectors units are not invovled..
Vaccine Matiri Initiative https://youtu.be/lzVSxY9Q_E4?t=347
Raghuram Rajan: Vaccine Unpreparedness a Devastating Failure of Govt, India Needs Vision to Recover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bRE8ts8j5Y
We haven’t been doing well for some time and need to rethink our future going forward. What is the India we want? We need a new vision for India”. He said a new vision will give the country confidence and restore its economic recovery to pre-pandemic levels but he asked “where is the vision?” At the end he said “more than atmanirbhar we need atmavishwas. We need to believe in ourselves
Parallel between Demonetisation like decision and the current covid approach. But this is more a systemic issue. HOw come we reach a situation where there is checks and balances.. Institutions have been allowed to be eroded for some time..
We need both strong and determined leader inclusive leader as well as strong institutions including election commission, ..
Transcript of interview https://thewire.in/economy/raghuram-rajan-modi-government-economic-package
Comment: RJG on Youtube.. I have never seen Raghuram Rajan sir speak with such intemsity. He said, "This is a failure of the government... ... There is no vision.
What is going wrong are: Extreme centralization of governnance, distaste for experts, and an anhorrence of criticism... ... we are eroding our democracy, and hence our future."
SK:, small point but very important unless India comes out of hatred dividing policy ,leadership looking to win election as a target some how by dividing society Hindu Muslim and jatis then its progress vision is desolved.
ASR: Unfortunately our current cheif economic advicor still think "sab changasi". If we read his articles,blogs or watch interview he sound very optimistic.Either he is dumb that he cant see real situation or he is just trying to save his job.
KM Over-centralisation of governance leads to erosion of free debates, discussions and consultation. Foreign Investors will be more interested in investment in India if democratic institutions such as judiciary, parliament, ECI ,C& AG, RBI and the like can operate and function independtly , without any crippling barriers and restrictions put around by the ruling. dispensation. Democratic spirit and ecosystem must prevail to bring about congenial environment .
NEII: Raghuram Rajan views more efficient government . 1.Decentralisation of central government power . 2.freedom speech 3. Taking constructive feedback from around you by government . Union government should take this feedback immediately proceed further In right direction.. Good democracy need to brought back in India..bring back FII INVESTMENT Confident.. Then history never forget this government in coming days!!
Dr Raghuram Rajan & Dr Palanivel Theyagarajan both are having same vision and idea . how to handle covid 19 second wave and bring back economic..and we are having person in charge doesn’t have any vision and ideas and not ready to listen experts view.
Centre Claim On Vaccination By 2021-end A Hoax, Says Mamata Banerjee https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/centre-claim-on-vaccination-by-2021-end-a-hoax-says-mamata-banerjee-2454774
She said her government spent ₹ 150 crore to procure vaccines, but only 1.4 crore of the state's over 10-crore population could be inoculated so far.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today dubbed as "hoax" the Centre's claim of vaccinating the entire population above the age of 18 years by 2021, and asserted that the Union government must provide jabs free of cost to states.
"That claim is just a hoax. The Centre says things like these. Before the Bihar elections, they had promised to inoculate its population after the elections, but nothing happened," she told reporters at the state secretariat.
She said considering the gap between doses, the process to vaccinate the entire eligible age group should take six months to a year to complete.
https://youtu.be/radzYB1pWh4 June 3, 2021 Speaking on India Today's special show News Today with Rajdeep Sardesai, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said, "The govt should buy up vaccine manufacturers' entire production at the fixed rate of Rs 100, buy 200 mn doses a month, and supply to all the states.
The politics issues of Centre v/s States who said what and whose photographs is on the vaccine certificate etc are all distractions. https://youtu.be/radzYB1pWh4?t=856
Thiagaranjan, TN Finance Minister at https://youtu.be/radzYB1pWh4?t=1000 outlines the problems that the States have had with the Centre in the vaccine policy. Being the senior partner the Centre must take the initiative to build that trust.. says that we should not be "distracted by politics,
Indian Economy Paying a Hefty Price for Govt’s 'Messy' Vaccine Policy | The Quint Jun 1, 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmB2fI_Sr3Y Amid the second wave of COVID-19 in India, its citizens are facing a paucity of vaccines. Meanwhile, concerns over a decelerated economy have taken a backseat, pushing several families below the poverty line, and over 1 crore people losing their jobs this year.
"I had laid out the road map about nine or 10 months ago on how we need a scalable digital infrastructure for vaccinating 5-10 million people a day
Vaccination Policy Arbitrary & Irrational: Supreme Court | सरकार की टीकाकरण नीति मनमानी और तर्कहीन •Jun 2, 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycOki5yXZ4o Faizan Mustafa in this video explains the Supreme Court’s highly critical observations against the central government’s vaccination policy. The court has asserted its right to scrutinise policies if the same violate people’s rights. He has said that government may bring in some changes in its vaccination policy to make vaccination free for 18 to 44 age group people.
5 Big Points From Supreme Court's Order On Government's Vaccine Policy https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/supreme-court-order-on-covid-19-vaccines-cant-be-silent-spectators-2454705
The Supreme Court asked the Centre to place on record a roadmap of projected availability of vaccines till December 31. 5 big points from the order
To Centre saying court should keep away from executive decisions: Our constitution does not envisage courts to be silent spectators when constitutional rights of citizens are violated because of executive policy.
Court asks government to clarify how the Rs 35,000 crore earmarked in the Union Budget for procuring vaccines have been spent so far and why they cannot be utilized for vaccinating persons aged 18-44 years.
The Centre has been asked to file a detailed affidavit giving complete data on the purchase history of all the vaccines till date - Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik V. The Supreme Court also asks for dates of all procurement orders; number of doses ordered; projected date of supply.
The government also has to submit a comparison of prices of vaccines available in India to their international prices.
The Supreme Court asks the Centre to place on record a roadmap of projected availability of vaccines till December 31. It notes that the “Liberalized Vaccination Policy” may not be able to spur competitive prices and more vaccines.
Furnish complete data on Covid vaccine purchase history: Supreme Court to Centre https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-asks-centre-to-furnish-data-on-purchase-history-of-all-covid-vaccines-7341181/
The apex court also asked the Centre to place on record all relevant documents and file notings reflecting its thinking culminating in the vaccination policy.
Paid vaccination policy for 18-44 age group prima facie arbitrary, says Supreme Court https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-directs-centre-to-place-on-record-documents-file-notings-on-covid-19-vaccination-policy/article34708361.ece
Prime Time: Need Report Comparing Vaccine Prices In India, Abroad: Supreme Court To Centre https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsKYzxNgpnI The Supreme Court on Wednesday evening directed the centre to submit a report comparing domestic and international prices of Covid vaccines currently available in India. It also directed the centre to submit a number of documents, including a complete "purchase history of vaccines". A three-member bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, LN Rao and S Ravindra Bhat also questioned the centre on the "digital divide" - a reference to concerns that requiring people to register on CoWIN would hamper vaccination efforts in rural areas, where access to the internet is unreliable. The centre has also been asked to "place on record a roadmap of projected availability of vaccines till December 31, 2021". The court will take up the case again on June 30.
What will be the Centre’s next step after SC ripped into 18+ paid vaccine rollout? | India Upfront https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eylqZDIMR_o SC seeks data from states on whether they will jab for free. The bench has also asked for the projected date of supply of covid, seeking clarification on how the government has spent Rs 35,000 Cr marked for jabs. Dr Sayed Zafar, MP& National Spokesperson, BJP, contradicts the ongoing chaos stating that the states that earlier wanted to procure vaccines on their own are now complaining when the Centre has obliged with the demand.
Congress' P. Chidambaram demands audit on missing vaccines; Demands CAG report https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYFFOOB1yLg The political war over vaccines is not going to stop any sooner, now ex-Finance Minister P Chidambaram has tweeted for the "Missing Vaccines" case. He has demanded a CAG-driven audit of capacity, production, dispatch, supply, and customers’ lists of the two domestic manufacturers to solve the 'mystery of missing vaccines'. He allegedly claimed that while there could be a discrepancy in capacity and production data, so he wanted to know the actual quantity produced so far by the two indigenous manufacturers. Chidambaram's assertion comes a day later Bharat Biotech issued its 120-day process from placing the vaccine to supply.
Artificial Scarcity' Being Created, Alleges AAP: Blamegame Over Vaccines 28th May 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0FWQenkiXw The Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that there's a 'vaccination scam' underway, asking how it was possible that Delhi government's vaccination centres have run out of vaccines for the 18-44 age group, but vaccinations are going on at private centres
Raghav Chadda talking about a letter from Biotech that they are not able to give more to the Delhi government, because the centre has told them exactly how many to give the state govt, and how many to the private sector..https://youtu.be/I0FWQenkiXw?t=446
Ambani-Adani Economics: गरीब होते भारत में रईस होते अंबानी-अडानी...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn4Rwa1PHwU
BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra 27.5.21 addresses the Nation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyH3p_5wNHs The assumptionabout the Centre for not letting the domestic manufacturing rise. are wrong. ' Bharat Biotec has shared its license with three other plants, which will further enhance the production of the Covaxin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL2sqeCuljY
on May 7th , Bharat Biotech has the sole licence to manufacture Covaxin, which it developed in collaboration with scientists from ICMR’s Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV). The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is willing to share the know-how to produce the indigenously-developed Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, with any company as the contract with co-developer Bharat Biotech is not close-ended.
About the bridging trial in India for the vaccine and medications that used to happen in India, but now there is no need for those trials. https://www.abplive.com/news/india/bjp-sambit-patra-says-arvind-kejriwal-government-vaccinated-only-13-pc-people-on-its-own-1919307 "राज्यों को 20 करोड़ एक लाख 61 हजार 350 डोज बिल्कुल फ्री दी"
2021 Could be Worse for the Economy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN0jw-tqnsU Last year, a global recession pushed down prices of raw materials and helped India's corporates make record profits even though their sales dropped. This year, a global recovery is pushing up raw material costs and that will put pressure on corporate profits. That means, even those who depend on the corporate sector may face a worse year in 2021.
The .. government..... thinks that the market will magically produce the number of vaccines the country needs. This would explain why it has starved seven public sector vaccine manufacturing units—according to an April 17 article in Down to Earth—of any support instead of ramping up much-needed vaccine production.
The rights to produce the public sector vaccine, Covaxin, which has been developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), in collaboration with Bharat Biotech, have been given to the private company partner on an exclusive basis. https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/05/17/how-bill-gates-set-the-stage-for-modis-disastrous-response-to-covid-19-in-india-2/
(The vaccine candidate is produced with Bharat Biotech's in-house vero cell manufacturing platform[26] that has the capacity to deliver about 300 million doses.[27] The company is in the process of setting up a second plant at its Genome Valley facility in Hyderabad to make Covaxin. The firm in collaboration with Government of Odisha is establishing another facility at Odisha Biotech Park in Bhubaneswar to commence Covaxin production by June 2022[28][29]. Besides this, they are also exploring global tie-ups for Covaxin manufacturing.[30]
In December 2020, Ocugen, Inc. entered into a partnership with Bharat Biotech to co-develop Covaxin for the U.S. market.[31][32] In January 2021, Precisa Med entered into an agreement with Bharat Biotech to supply Covaxin to Brazil.[33]
In May 2021, Haffkine Institute entered into a memorandum of understanding with Bharat Biotech and announced that the production of Covaxin by them will commence after obtaining support from the Maharashtra state government and approval from the Indian government[34] whereas Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has signed a commercial agreement with Bharat Biotech for producing the drug substance, a critical component of the vaccine[35] Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation (BIBCOL) will also manufacture the vaccine.[36] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covaxin )
PM says that govt has given thousands of crores to help in R & D for vaccines, and support for clinical trials. Ravish Kumar in Primtine points out that the affidavit in the Court says that 46 crore was given for Clinical trials and zero for R & D.