As the global pandemic enters its second year 50 Communist and workers' parties have issued a joint statement calling for the strengthening of public health services, faster and free vaccinations globally as well as the abolishment of patents for vaccines, greater measures to protect workers and the unemployed and an end to all sanctions and blockade measures against countries like Cuba and Venezuela.
The statement begins by reminding that more "than 100 million people fell sick, more than 2 million people lost their lives, millions more are faced with the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions and the social impasses of capitalism, such as unemployment, the sharpening of exploitation and repression."
It follows by expressing solidarity "with those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, those who have lost loved ones, those who have fallen sick, and to send our warm thanks to the doctors and nurses, the staff of hospitals and health units who, for a year now, have been fighting this battle, facing great difficulties."
After noting that private medicine and pharmaceutical production has led to delays as well as "sharpening inequalities among countries and geopolitical contradictions", the statement outlines several main demands:
We, the Communist and Workers' Parties, continue our struggle. We demand in each of our countries, public, free and universal health services and substantial measures to address the epidemic, to protect the health and lives of the peoples:
Immediate strengthening of public health services with state funding, recruitment of permanent medical and nursing staff with full rights. Meeting of all needs in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and infrastructure required for the full operation of public health care and research services.
Faster vaccination of people in each country, with effective, safe and free vaccines, without exclusions in the supply of vaccines, as it happens at the expense of the peoples of the less developed capitalist countries. Abolishment of patents for vaccines and all other necessary pharmaceutical products that can help tackle the pandemic.
Immediate public and universal provision of all the necessary means of precaution and protection (masks, gloves, disinfection gels, etc.), as well as diagnostic tests to the people by the state, free of charge.
Providing support to the income and the rights of the working - popular strata. Protection of the unemployed, intensifying the struggle against capital and its political spokesmen, who are trying to further trample on wages and pensions, on insurance, labour and democratic rights. Measures to protect workers in the workplaces, public transport, schools and universities.
No restriction of the democratic rights of the peoples under the pretext of the coronavirus.
To intensify the struggle against imperialist interventions and to end immediately all sanctions and economic blockade measures, which in pandemic conditions are even more unjust and criminal, such as the criminal blockades against Cuba and Venezuela by US imperialism, and to withdraw the unacceptable action of the USA that places Cuba back on US list of the so-called “state sponsors of terrorism”.
We say no to imperialist interventions and military exercises, such as those of NATO, and we demand that the necessary resources be provided and that the national public health and social security systems be adequately funded.
Read the full statement and list of endorsing parties at: Joint Statement: ON THE FRONT LINE OF THE STRUGGLE FOR HEALTH, WORK AND THE OTHER RIGHTS OF THE WORKING CLASS AND THE PEOPLES