US lawmakers urge Biden admin to ensure global supply of Covid-19 vaccines

A group of prominent American lawmakers wrote to President Joe Biden to ensure global supply and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, a move seen as a result of the outreach by India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Global health experts have identified an array of needs where the United States leadership can have a real and immediate impact to save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19. Most important is to continue to help countries manage and deliver the vaccines, especially given the generous investment by the United States in purchasing the doses, four top American lawmakers wrote in the letter.

The letter was written by Barbara Lee; Judy Chu, chair of the influential Congressional Asian American Pacific Caucus; Raul Ruiz, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus; and Joyce Beatty, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

In the letter dated January 23, these powerful Congressional caucuses urged the Biden administration to invest in the global supply and manufacture of vaccines as well as therapeutics and medical equipment to fight the pandemic.

The development follows focused outreach by India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and the embassy to these important caucuses which represent over 170 members of the US Congress and include several members of the Senate.

During these outreach programmes, Indian diplomats have been emphasising on strong healthcare partnership between India and the US, and the potential for India-US collaborations to provide affordable vaccines/medicines, including to the developing, especially Africa and Latin America.

Notably, Sandhu has spoken to all the chairs of the three caucuses, and they expressed strong support for the collaboration with India for global good. Other important members of the caucus have also expressed their support for India. Earlier, the Black Caucus had separately written to the ambassador on vaccine cooperation and delivery of vaccines to Africa in 2021.

In the letter, the lawmakers also wrote that the American leadership is needed on expanding access to diagnostic, therapeutic and other health needs like oxygen and personal protective equipment.

Not least, as the pandemic stretches into its third year, assistance is needed to address related harms such as hunger, school closure, growing strains on health system and other related health efforts, the letter added.