LA PAZ, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic is a global problem that must be resolved through international cooperation, Bolivia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration Benjamin Blanco has said.
"It is of no use for a country to be able to be vaccinated if the rest of the world is not immunized. The virus does not respect borders," Blanco told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.
Bolivia's vaccination campaign with vaccines developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm places the country "well above" the average in Latin America in terms of the percentage of population potentially covered, he said.
Thanks to solidarity and strategic partnership between Bolivia and China, the South American country was able to secure the vaccines that will place it among the five regional countries with the highest percentage of the population vaccinated, Blanco said.
With the Sinopharm vaccines, Bolivia launched the biggest immunization campaign in its history last Thursday.
As of Sunday, the country has reported 249,010 COVID-19 cases with 11,649 deaths and 193,032 recoveries.
Bolivia agrees with China that vaccines should be global public goods, he said.
"At international forums, we declare the right to health, medication and vaccines to be essential human rights. At this moment, the only structural solution for the pandemic is vaccination, therefore, vaccines should be a product that is accessible to all countries and people, regardless of their degree of development," Blanco said.
When asked whether the Chinese doses were being well received in Bolivia, he said that they were very welcome, especially given their technical characteristics.
In terms of health cooperation between Bolivia and China, Blanco said the supply of vaccines and drugs that arrived in the country "speaks very well of the cooperative relationship that exists between the two countries."
Noting that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres mentioned in February that 130 countries had not received vaccines against COVID-19 while 10 countries were hoarding antigens, Blanco said it was necessary to appeal to the solidarity of nations to prevent the monopolization of doses.
"Most of the vaccines have been monopolized by 15 developed countries that have paid in advance to have the vaccines. That shows the impact of a savage capitalism, where those who have the most can have access to health," Blanco said.
Developing countries, Blanco said, are faced with the challenge of relying on diplomatic channels and international relations to gain access to vaccines amid a global shortage. Enditem