Now Uganda is paying triple

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Hi John,

Last week it was reported that Uganda will be paying $7 per dose for its order of 18 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. This is three times the price that the EU is paying and follows on from the news that South Africa is paying twice the EU price.

As a two-dose vaccine, together with shipping costs, the total cost per person in Uganda is $17. And this is a country where the average person earns just $2 a day.[1] This is outrageous.

AstraZeneca took positive steps last year by pledging to ensure broad and equitable access to the vaccine as well as commit to non-profit pricing.[2] But now we are seeing these promises unravel as these prices fly in the face of its pledge.

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The research and development of this vaccine was publicly funded and conducted at Oxford University.

The vaccine should have been a global public good - openly licensed to allow as many manufacturers as possible to make it. The university even had a stated policy that promised this. Instead, the university agreed a secret exclusive deal with AstraZeneca and handed full control of its vaccine over to the company to decide who it sells to, at what price and for how long.

Now countries in the global south are being charged more than rich countries. This was supposed to be the vaccine that reached millions in the global south and so we need to let the company know that we are watching and urge them to stick with their pledges.

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The problem of vaccine inequality is bigger than one company. Many countries in the global south are now watching on as rich countries roll out their vaccine programmes. Over 75% of global vaccinations have been given in just 10 countries. Meanwhile, around 130 countries, with 2.5 billion people, are yet to administer a single dose.

Rich countries like the UK have bought up more doses than they need, leaving very little for the rest of the world. But we are only facing scarcity because pharmaceutical monopolies are preventing the ramping up of production to ensure there are enough doses for all.

We’re working to change this system before it’s too late. But today, we want to help hold AstraZeneca to account and push the company to honour its pledge around equitable access and non-profit pricing.

This vaccine was publicly funded and countries in the global south should not be charged more than rich countries.

Thank you for your support

Best wishes,

Heidi Chow
Campaigner at Global Justice Now

[1] Based on GDP per capita: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=UG

[2] AstraZeneca takes next steps towards broad and equitable access to Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine, 4 June 2020, https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2020/astrazeneca-takes-next-steps-towards-broad-and-equitable-access-to-oxford-universitys-covid-19-vaccine.html

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