By Sue-Ann Wayow
SHARE the monkeypox vaccine more equitably than the Covid-19 jab.
This is what Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh is hoping will take place.
Deyalsingh said unfortunately, the world has not learned from the Covid-19 pandemic when large countries were keeping vaccines for their own population leaving smaller countries at a disadvantage.
He was speaking at the Ministry of Health’s virtual Covid-19 update on Wednesday.
Deyalsingh said Trinidad and Tobago was still attempting to get the monkeypox vaccine Jynneos in its preparedness against the virus.
He said, “Something rather unfortunate is happening on the vaccine front and I thought that Covid and the lack of Covid vaccines for small countries would have taught the global community a lesson. What we are seeing globally is that the bigger, wealthier richer countries that have the factors of production are once again, as they did with Covid vaccines, stockpiling vaccines for their population. And countries like ours are once again at a disadvantage. That is regrettable.”
Deyalsingh said, “The monkeypox vaccine should be available on a more equitable level to all countries based on not only their population size but on their risk profile and so on.”
Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has been testing samples for monkeypox and Trinidad and Tobago has sent two samples to validate testing although there are no suspected cases yet of the virus, he said.
Deyalsingh said the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) was also handing test kits to the Ministry of Health on Wednesday which will be used at the Trinidad Public Health Lab to test cases.
Those kits should be ready to use soon the minister said.
