Engagement with European Parliament’s Special Committee for Covid-19
22 February 2023
Chairperson: Dr K Jacobs (ANC)
Audio: Engagement with European Parliament’s Special Committee for Covid-19
Meeting Summary
The Portfolio Committee on Health met with the European Parliament’s Special Committee to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic, a potential international treaty on pandemics and the approach to vaccine diplomacy and global solidarity. They mentioned that there had been many collaborative efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic effectively and that South Africa and the European Union (EU) had played a significant role in these efforts. Therefore, they agreed that continued engagements were needed to strengthen the partnership.
They also discussed the waiver on the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and its limited impact on vaccine availability. They concluded that there was a need to rethink robust measures to ensure pandemic preparedness, which included fostering collaborative efforts for future pandemics.
The discussion revealed that innovation in technologies should not only aim at ensuring access to vaccines but also support prevention measures. They also suggested that South Africa’s technology and advanced skills could be used to strengthen the health system of Africa, in close collaboration with other African countries and the African Union.
The Members of the Portfolio Committee on Health agreed that the treaty would bring many benefits, such as enhancing the resilience of the health system, detecting pandemics early, restoring faith in the global health system and improving the response to pandemics. Therefore, they argued that the proposed treaty should be based on principles of fairness.
Some Members of the Portfolio Committee raised concerns about some inconsistencies between the regulations of the World Health Organization and the proposed treaty. They suggested that the treaty be brought before the South African Parliament for further discussion to resolve potential discrepancies. They believed this would ensure a robust and efficient response to detecting and responding to pandemics.
They also recommended that the preamble of the proposed treaty on pandemics should state the goal of achieving universal health coverage and strengthening Primary Health Care to improve future pandemic preparedness.
Meeting report
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Dr K Jacobs (ANC), welcomed all Members of the Portfolio Committee and the delegation of the European Parliament’s Special Committee to the meeting.
European Parliament’s Special Committee
The delegation from the European Union (EU) indicated their confidence in the importance of policymakers, particularly the role of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa and the EU in ensuring a working treaty in pandemics, access to vaccines and therapeutics, and the achievement of universal health coverage. There have been a lot of collaborative efforts to ensure a robust response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and South Africa and the EU have played a significant role in these efforts. Hence, continued engagements are needed to strengthen the partnership.
The delegation highlighted some of the lessons that South Africa learnt during the pandemic, one of the lessons being the challenges faced in attempts to deliver universal health coverage, especially given the visible inequalities between the high-income and low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) which have had a significant impact on the accessibility of vaccines for many LMICs, South Africa included. Although there was the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) waiver on the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), however, this had little impact on vaccine availability hence there is a need to rethink robust measures to ensure pandemic preparedness. But there have been visible efforts in ensuring collaborative efforts to ensure future pandemic preparedness.
On the TRIPS waiver to support South Africa and India in vaccine production, the reason this was not approved at first was because of various bureaucratic challenges within the European Union Parliament. The EU is a growing democracy with many Members States with diverse interests, and some improvements must be implemented to ensure that there are strengthened collaborations with other countries such as South Africa.
The delegation commended South Africa for the detection of the Omicron variant, and the necessary measures taken by the South African government to curb the spread were commendable. They assured the Portfolio Committee that South Africa has friends and partners in the EU. And the EU is committed to supporting South Africa to ensure access to the necessary health technologies, vaccines, and medicines.
A question was posed on what the Committee suggests South Africa would like to see embedded in the proposed international treaty on pandemics to ensure the best benefit for all countries involved.
It was highlighted that the innovation in technologies should not only focus on ensuring access to vaccines but there should be support provided in bolstering prevention measures. And South Africa's technology and advanced skills can be used to strengthen the health system of Africa, with close collaboration with other African countries including the African Union.
On the vaccines shipped to South Africa with a short expiry window, a delegate from Germany said it was unfortunate that expired vaccines were shipped to South Africa with a tight expiry window as this severely impacts the health system of South Africa and the wider African region. A question was then posed on what are South African investment priorities in ensuring health technology transfer.
The delegation indicated that it was not a matter of the EU versus South Africa, citing that the EU delegation’s arrival in South Africa was to enhance learning from another perspective as no one is safe from a pandemic unless everyone is safe hence the relationship between the EU and South Africa is important. The distribution of expired vaccines is something that is being looked at.
It was discussed that Europe's action to close the border for South Africa after South African scientists detected Omicron was purely unfair. This is being looked at to ensure it does not happen in the future.
The delegation said that any form of assistance offered by the EU to South Africa is not charity, but this is the EU's way of showing its commitment to enhancing its relationship with South Africa. This relationship is rooted in partnership, collaboration, and interdependency. South Africa has key technology for early detection and the EU is committed to assisting South Africa to ensure improved health system responsiveness.
In closing remarks, the delegation said the relationship with South Africa was important. There is huge support in the EU Parliament to improve the relationships with South Africa to ensure that it benefits all parties involved. This is not only about the EU giving South Africa financial support, but ensuring a fruitful relationship that benefits the EU and South Africa alike.
Some measures are being looked at to ensure future pandemic preparedness. There are similar challenges that the EU and South Africa faced, so it will be important to change the model of vaccine accessibility.
Members contributions
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition, Ms J Hermans (ANC), stated that RSA had accepted the proposed international treaty to ensure collaboration in solidarity in ensuring equal and equitable access to medicines, therapeutics, and necessary technologies for COVID-19 and future pandemics. She added that the mistakes witnessed during the peak of COVID-19, HIV/AIDS and other pandemics should be examined closely to ensure that such did not happen in the future.
Mr N Xaba (ANC) remarked that many benefits were anticipated from the treaty which was expected to enhance the resilience of the health system, early detection of pandemics, restore faith in the global health system, and improve response to pandemics. The proposed treaty should be anchored on principles of fairness. He highlighted that there had been concern about equitable access to vaccines, health technologies, and medicines during the peak of COVID-19.
Ms A Gela (ANC) reported that South Africa had strengthened its work with the African Union regarding pandemic preparedness. She highlighted that South Africa had learned many lessons since the first case of COVID-19 was detected. And measures had been taken to respond to the pandemic including robust vaccine procurement and distribution measures. The Department of Health has increased its measures to ensure awareness and encourage South Africans to vaccinate.
Dr S Thembekwayo (EFF) expressed that the challenges South Africa faced include when the South African government received expired vaccines, which had financial implications for the country. She wanted clarity on who had approved the vaccines to be sent to South Africa and how they would be accountable.
The vaccines and attempts to make them accessible had loopholes, resulting in corruption. And this should be looked at closely in consideration of the treaty.
Ms E Wilson (DA) stated that South Africa had achieved an impressive herd immunity rate. She added that the assistance from the EU to South Africa and Africa, in general, should be robust to ensure strengthened health systems.
On the World Health Organization (WHO), Ms Wilson continued that she was worried about some contradictions between the WHO regulations and the proposed international treaty. Therefore, the treaty needed to be brought before the South African Parliament for further discussion to ensure any possible discrepancies were ironed out. This would ensure a robust and efficient response in the detection and response to pandemics.
Ms N Chirwa (EFF) remarked that various biases were held by the EU. She highlighted that there were challenges with consequence management and governance in the South African government which impacted the trust in the South African health system. This included the lack of transparency on the vaccine trials, with many South Africans not knowing they were part of a vaccine trial.
She continued that the relationship between South Africa and the EU was not fair as it was characterised by various conditions and a lack of clear transparency on some of the decisions which were taken.
She emphasised that in the collaborative effort to ensure global solidarity, it was important that other African countries should be involved before such collaborations were made with the EU.
Mr P Van Staden (FF+) expressed that the mistakes that had been committed at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic should not be repeated as such. And these issues should be addressed carefully.
Ms M Hlengwa (IFP) greeted the delegation and pointed out that since it was known that vaccines were not enough, therefore, to address the global supply chain challenges, it was important to have measures to improve access to preventative measures.
Mr E Siwela (ANC) stated that in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa already had a fair share of problems. He added that although South Africa had some challenges, the country’s governance had attempted to respond to the challenges including ensuring the accessibility of vaccines to all South Africans.
In closing remarks, Ms Hermans stated that as Trade and Industry, the granting of the TRIPS waiver had allowed pharmaceuticals to produce vaccines nationally. However, the time when the TRIPS waiver was approved was the time when the demand for vaccines was lower.
She continued that the response of the EU to equitable access to vaccines had been disappointing. Trade policies were often a barrier to achieving the goal of ensuring access to therapeutics. She called for the EU to support regulations that enhanced research and access to vaccines.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Dr Jacobs, reported that the role of the South African Parliament during the peak of COVID-19 had included a legislative mandate, ensuring accountability of the executive, and engaging with various role players to respond to the pandemic.
He added that in the preamble of the proposed international treaty on pandemics, it was important to mention the goal of achieving universal health coverage, especially regarding vaccines. Secondly, the preamble should acknowledge efforts to strengthen Primary Health Care to improve future pandemic preparedness.
On the question raised by the EU delegation on who pays for the WHO, he explained that payments were made by WTO member states, and this was assessed by the United Nations to ensure it was aligned with the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, there was a voluntary payment that member states could make.
He concluded by stressing that the EU should clearly support the TRIPS waiver, ensuring access to vaccines.
The House Chairperson of Committees, Mr C Frolick (ANC), expressed his gratitude for the visit of the EU delegation. He mentioned that there was already collaboration between South Africa and the EU and hoped this treaty would strengthen the relationship. He added that a lot of consultation and engagement would have to take place in South Africa before it was adopted.