Maduro calls on UN, WHO to declare COVID-19 vaccines global public goods

New York [US], December 4 (ANI/Sputnik): The United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) should declare COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said at the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
"President, it is crucial that the vaccine or vaccines to address coronavirus be declared by the United Nations and by the World Health Organization as global public goods," Maduro, speaking virtually, said at the 31st Special Session of the General Assembly in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Global Public Goods (GPGs) are non-excludable goods that benefit all countries and/or deal with issues like global warming that require collective international action, according to WHO experts.
Maduro said the pandemic can only be overcome through a joint response from humanity and based on science.
After becoming the first country in the world to approve the US-German vaccine candidate, the UK authorities announced on Wednesday that the immunization campaign will begin as early as next week.
Other countries, including Russia, have also developed vaccines. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered his government to begin a large-scale vaccine campaign next week.
Russia emerged as a leader in vaccine development with two of its products, Sputnik V, developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, and EpiVacCorona, developed by Siberia's research center Vector, completing Phase 3 clinical trials. (ANI/Sputnik)