Yunus Centre joins hand with prominent world figures to declare Covid-19 vaccine as global common good

At the initiative of the Yunus Center, 19 Nobel laureates, 32 former heads of state and government, political leaders, artists, and 111 prominent international figures, including the head of the International Development Association, have signed a petition to declare the Covid-19 vaccine as a global common good.

Prominent figures such as Dr Muhammad Yunus, Desmond Tutu, Mikhail Gorbachev, Malala Yousafzai, Bono, Richard Branson, Les Wallace, Jodi Williams, Mahathir Mohamad, Lula, George Clooney, Sharon Stone and Forrest Whitaker have joined the cause.

Others who joined the cause are Lima Bui, Mary Robinson, Tawakkol Karman, Ratan Tata, Azim Premji, Shabana Azmi, Ann Hidalgo, Thomas Bach and Andrea Bocheli.

A pandemic clearly exposes the strengths and weaknesses of a country's healthcare system and at the same time highlights the barriers and inequalities of public access to the system, stated the petition.

The effectiveness of the incoming vaccine campaign will depend on its universality. 

The petition urged various governments, foundations, philanthropists and social businesses to come forward to produce and/or distribute these vaccines free of charge worldwide, said a press release.

All political, social and health organisations have been urged to reaffirm their collective responsibility to come forward to protect all vulnerable people from all forms of discrimination.

"I urge the secretary-general of the United Nations, the director-general of the World Health Organisation, religious leaders, leaders of the social and moral world, leaders of laboratories and pharmaceutical companies, and leaders of the media to come together and ensure that we reach a global agreement on the Covid-19 vaccine," said Dr Muhammad Yunus.

The Covid-19 vaccine will be considered and used as a common good worldwide.

They invited everyone to visit vaccinecommongood.org to make a pledge.