News on inequity in vaccination fights for attention in spite of Omicron variant: Healthcare News Review

 21st October 2021    Healthcare 
 Paarul Chand

PRmoment's new 'The Healthcare News Review' column will look at the biggest healthcare news trends every week and analyse the communications implications of that.

A classic narrative, but few takers

It is a story as old as the hills. The haves' and the have nots'. In this case, it's the lack of equal access to vaccination in the less well off nations.

WIth the emergence of the Omicron variant of concern in (South) Africa, one of the regions facing vaccine inequity, the news flow first went (naturally), to the stock market crash all over the world.

The next immediate phase was about safety measures as nations in Europe and North America clamped down on travel from South African nations, smarking accusations of Afrophobia.

But even as western nations contemplate the 4th Covid wave, there were no takers for the Afrophobia argument.

One of the core challenges for less well off nations is the availability of vaccines, which in turn becomes a reason for restrictions on international travel.

But this major issue gets limited coverage, perhaps because there are no immediate global solutions as richer national work to protect their own citizens first.

What does this mean for communicators?

What this means for communicators is while the inequity of vaccination may not be top of the news in the middle of the advent of the Omicron variant, it's still a cause worth pursuing:

1) The overall inequity in healthcare debate is very relevant to India as well, in different ways including vaccine. This is a long term story peg.

2) The travel precautions as they evolve is another ongoing story.

3) The case for booster doses in India may be given a 'boost' with Omicron.

4) Impact on economy after a great second quarter with over 8% growth will be a running story. 

Discovery of the Week, Of Goats and Soda 

For a glance at developmental issues for low and middle income firms, do check out the Goats and Soda blog on NPR. A great source for editorial pegs globally.

Upcoming PRmoment Health sector event 

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Topic: Is Digital healthcare helping to bridge the healthcare divide? 

Speakers from GE Healthcare, Medtronic and Dr Reddy's Laboratories

Date: 16th December, 2021. 4 to 5 PM.

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News Curated for PRmoment India by:

Impact Research and Measurement