APDR DEMANDS for strengthening human rights and transparency around Covid-19 Vaccines and vaccination.

To                                                                                            Kolkata: Saturday, 23 January 2021

The  Hon’ble Chief Minister

Govt . of West Bengal.

Subject:   APDR DEMANDS for strengthening human rights and transparency around Covid-19 Vaccines and vaccination.

Madam,

You are well aware of the fact that there is growing public concern regarding Covid-19 Vaccines and vaccination in India and in West Bengal too. Covid-19 pandemic managers of our Central Government seem to be more committed to Corporate Capital Interests (in its PPP Model of approach to pandemic control strategy) rather than to human rights and transparency relating to the current vaccination initiative. Almost everyone now admits that the first crucial phase of corona pandemic is more or less over; now it is time to be alert for the future resurgence of Corona strains. This gives the governments the scope to be more concerned about human rights and transparency in their actions so that the damages done to public life during March to November do not recur anymore.

Regarding the Covid-vaccines and vaccination, established norms of trial skipped in name of imagined ‘emergency’! In addition, there are great doubts about the quality of vaccines chosen (‘efficacy’ doubted), the impending dangers (side effects including deaths) due to their non-traditional nature, keeping up with body-autonomy rights and right to be compensated. The big question remains unanswered: who will take the responsibility in case of vaccine-related deaths? Much more questions (necessary vaccine and health infrastructure etc.) are there too.   

Not all these matters should be ignored calling them ‘natural initial inhibitions of ignoramuses’; they are serious giving the first time ever use of mRNA vaccines (composition unrevealed to the public yet!)

 Dissenting and informed opinions about the said vaccines need to be taken into account by the government through organized efforts. Marketeering of the vaccines should not guide the state government.  

 Please give a thought to our concerns as told above. With regards

Dhiraj Sengupta