Health workers administer the Sputnik V vaccine at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.JUAN MABROMATA / AFP
The Russian Sputnik V vaccine has become a major headache for the Government of Argentina.
It was the first to be applied massively in the South American country and it was inoculated with it to the most unprotected population, those over 60 years of age.
However, this risk group has not been able to complete the vaccination schedule within the expected maximum period of three months due to the lack of second doses.
Faced with the danger posed by the delta variant of the coronavirus, a letter from the presidential adviser Cecilia Nicolini to the Russian negotiator Anatoly Braverman has exposed the government's desperation over the delay of the committed doses and has provoked harsh criticism from the opposition, which demands the appearance of the health authorities before Congress.
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Argentina has so far received 11.8 million doses of Sputnik V with component one and 2.4 million doses with component 2, which implies that more than six million people have partial protection against covid- 19. "We are in a very critical situation," says Nicolini in the first line of the letter to Braveman, from the Russian Fund for Direct Investment, sent on July 7. "We urgently need at least one million doses to vaccinate the elderly this weekend," claims the advisor shortly after in the letter that was published this Thursday by the newspaper
La Nación
.
The failure of Argentina's negotiations with the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the delay in vaccines from the European AstraZeneca made the Fernández government highly dependent on Russia in the first months of the vaccination campaign. Since June, on the other hand, the increasing availability of immunizers has diversified the options and 10.1 million doses of AstraZeneca and seven million of the Chinese Sinopharm have already been applied. In early July, the government also authorized the arrival of vaccines from US pharmaceutical companies. In addition, Sputnik V has also begun to be produced in Argentine territory.
With a greater range of possibilities, Argentina has hardened its discourse against the Russian Fund due to the lack of component 2. "The entire contract runs the risk of being publicly canceled," Nicolini warns.
“We understand the shortages and production difficulties of a few months ago.
But now, seven months later, we are still way behind, as we start getting doses from other providers on a regular basis, with schedules being met.
In addition, we have just issued a presidential decree that allows us to sign contracts with American companies and receive donations from the United States, ”he adds.
The Argentine presidential adviser also highlights that the vaccines from US laboratories are suitable for minors, an advantage over the Russian one, which has not yet received authorization for pediatric use.
The letter also reveals the refusal of the Fernández Government to the changes in the contract requested by Russia, the efforts made by the South American country to promote Sputnik V and the disappointment of the Argentine president for the delay in enabling the local production of the Russian vaccine. .
Electoral agenda
The vaccination campaign against covid-19 will be, except for unforeseen events, one of the great themes of the imminent Argentine electoral campaign. The letter published this Thursday has been used as a throwing weapon by the opposition against the Government. From the Together for Change coalition they have anticipated that they will request the appearance of Nicolini and the Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, before Congress. The Radical Civic Union, part of that opposition alliance, has regretted that "ideology and geopolitics were prioritized when saving lives."
“The letter from the Government to the Russians is overwhelming proof of the political decision that left us without millions of vaccines, with thousands of deaths, without an economy and without education. Fernández, [the former Minister of Health, Ginés] González García and Vizzotti have to explain this health, educational and economic catastrophe, ”tweeted the former Macrista Security Minister Patricia Bullrich. "It shows us the irresponsibility of the Argentine government, which bought vaccines for ideological reasons from a corporation of scammers whose second dose will send late or never," agreed the former head of the Culture portfolio, Pablo Avelluto.
Nicolini confirmed the veracity of the letter in a radio interview, but recalled that since July 7, Argentina has received more than half a million doses of component 2 of Sputnik V and the Richmond laboratory obtained another million to manufacture in Argentina.
According to the Argentine negotiator, the dialogue with Russia is constant and fluid.
"The result of this good relationship is that Argentina has been a priority in the shipment of vaccines and that a very high percentage of all those that are exported go to our country," he stressed.
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