RT.com
17 Jan 2022, 15:42 GMT+10
Oxfam says that the poor have died from vaccine inequality and a lack of access to treatment
Oxfam, a charity confederation, has said that while the wealth of the world's top 10 richest people has doubled during the pandemic, the poor around the globe continue to suffer due to a dearth of vaccines and treatment.
In a report published on Monday, Oxfam claimed that a 99% windfall tax on the pandemic gains of the world's 10 richest men would raise enough money to pay for vaccines for everyone on the planet.
"A 99% one-off windfall tax on the Covid-19 wealth gains of the 10 richest men alone would generate $812bn," the report states, noting these 10 men have six times more money than the poorest 3.1 billion people.
The report, titled 'Inequality kills', claims that the rich have profited from structural and systemic policy choices which are skewed in their favor. Meanwhile, the poor have been directedly harmed by these decisions.
"Millions of people would still be alive today if they had had a vaccine - but they are dead, denied a chance while big pharmaceutical corporations continue to hold monopoly control of these technologies," Oxfam said.
The charity claims that billionaires have thrived through the pandemic and that fiscal and monetary stimulus measures have contributed to their wealth as the stock market boomed.
"Vaccines were meant to end this pandemic, yet rich governments allowed pharma billionaires and monopolies to cut off the supply to billions of people. The result is that every kind of inequality imaginable risks rising. The predictability of it is sickening. The consequences of it kill," Oxfam International Executive Director Gabriela Bucher said in the report.
Oxfam adds that the proportion of those who die from Covid-19 in developing countries is roughly double that in rich countries.
The report was released ahead of this week's virtual World Economic Forum meetings, traditionally held in Davos, where leaders will discuss global challenges.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Knoxville Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Knoxville Times.
More InformationBEIJING, China: China's Lenovo reported a steep 64 percent drop in fourth-quarter profit, falling significantly short of analyst expectations...
NEW YORK, New York - Strong economic data jump-started U.S. stocks and the dollar Tuesday, a welcome reprieve after weeks of pressure...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: This week, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) dropped its lawsuit against PepsiCo, which had accused...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: New single-family home sales in the U.S. rose sharply in April to their highest level in over three years as builders...
VEVEY, Switzerland: Nestle is realigning its focus on its core food and beverage operations after expanding into areas like health...
DEARBORN, Michigan: Ford Motor Company has filed a lawsuit against several California lawyers and law firms, accusing them of cheating...
ZERMATT, Switzerland: Five skiers were found dead on a mountain in Switzerland near the popular ski resort of Zermatt, officials said...
TORONTO, Canada - Tens of thousands of people from across Canada have marched in support of Israel in a massive turnout in Toronto....
BOSTON, Massachusetts: U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has taken away Harvard University's right to enroll international...
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he believed God was behind his election loss in 2020, even though he has...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Passenger numbers at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey have dropped sharply, according to...
BRUSSELS, Belgium: European Union antitrust regulators are examining fees imposed by payment giants Visa and Mastercard, Bloomberg...