The Government of Guyana has contacted Rwanda and India to improve its healthcare services and maybe start vaccine production in the Caribbean in an effort to gain access to life-saving vaccines without relying on supplies from richer nations.

Vice President Bharat Jagdeo revealed this at a press conference on Friday.

If the negotiations are successful, he pointed out, they will guarantee regional security for life-saving vaccines.

As previously stated by the president, Dr. Irfaan Ali, Guyana would look to build a facility akin to BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine plant in Kigali, Rwanda. Also, he urged those who are involved in medical research and development to think about projects in the Caribbean.

There have already been agreements made between Barbados and Guyana to collaborate with researchers and developers in order to acquire pharmaceutical equity for international public health.

These initiatives, according to Jagdeo, are a response to the difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He claimed that the current world crises made it more crucial than ever to ensure that every region is vaccine secure in addition to having access to vaccines.

The pandemic also brought to light the disparities in vaccine manufacturing, cost, and distribution.