In a passionate address on Ash Wednesday, Sligo-born Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, said richer countries must share Covid-19 vaccines with frontline healthcare workers and the most vulnerable in developing countries. Once we cover those individuals who are most vulnerable in our society can we then at least begin to share with those in the world who don’t have access to the vaccine? None of us are safe until all of us are safe,” he said.
 

Dr. Ryan and Dr. Lilian Otiso of Kenyan healthcare provider LVCT Health were receiving Trócaire’s Romero Award in an online ceremony in recognition of their efforts to protect vulnerable communities from Covid-19. The annual award, given to honour outstanding contributions to global justice, was this year given to co-recipients in recognition of the efforts at global level and local level to protect people from the virus.
 
 Dr. Ryan was awarded for his global leadership and efforts to highlight the risks facing vulnerable people in the developing world, while LVCT Health, a Trócaire partner, was named as co-recipient for their efforts to protect vulnerable young women in Kenya throughout the pandemic.
 
 Trócaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra said: “The last 12 months has been enormously difficult for everybody. Combatting Covid-19 has required a global and local response. We are delighted to award the Romero Award to Dr. Mike Ryan for his global leadership and to LVCT Health for their vitally important work in protecting young women in Kenya.

3Gallery
“Trócaire’s partners around the world have had to entirely change their programmes to respond to the health and social needs brought about by the pandemic. LVCT Health has worked with vulnerable women in Kenya to keep them safe, not only from Covid-19 but also from gender-based violence. The rates of violence against women around the world have grown significantly during the pandemic. Violence against women is itself a pandemic and we are delighted to work with such a strong partner as LVCT Health to help keep young women safe.
 
 “We are also delighted to honour Dr. Mike Ryan. Dr. Ryan has consistently highlighted the threat of Covid-19 in the developing world and the need for global solidarity in our response to the virus. This message is so important now at a time when the unequal distribution of vaccines threatens to derail the global effort to combat this virus.”
 
Accepting the Romero Award, Dr. Mike Ryan said: “COVID-19 does not discriminate. We too cannot, must not, discriminate in our fight against this pandemic. Doing so will only work in the pandemic’s favour. The last eight months have shown us that unity, not singularity, defeats pandemics. Richer countries don’t need to share all of their vaccines, they need to share just some of their vaccines in order that the most vulnerable and the most at risk in the developing world would have access. And I think the citizens in Ireland would want that to happen.”
 
Dr. Lilian Otiso of LVCT Health said: “Covid-19 has been difficult for everyone but especially the vulnerable. Lockdowns and other restrictions made the poor even poorer, increased cases of gender-based violence and interrupted schooling for millions of children. We are grateful to partners like Trócaire and our staff who adapted quickly and worked tirelessly to minimize the suffering and improve access to food and education for vulnerable girls and their families. As COVID continues to threaten the world, let us ensure our response does not further marginalize those most vulnerable in our communities. We are not hopeful of receiving any vaccines in Kenya this year and this is very unfair when some countries are buying five times the number of their population."   
 
The award was given this year as part of the annual Lenten Appeal. This Lent the UK government will match public donations up to 16th May in Northern Ireland pound for pound. These matched funds will support thousands of people in South Sudan to grow enough food to feed their families by empowering women, facilitating access to cultivated land, and providing suitable crops and training on sustainable farming practices. For more information on the appeal visit trocaire.org.
 
This is the third time the Trócaire Romero Award has been awarded. The inaugural winner in 2018 was Sr. Bridget Tighe in honour of her more than two decades working with vulnerable people in the Middle East. The following year, the Romero Award was awarded to Abelino Chub Caal, a Guatemalan human rights defender who had spent over two years in prison due to his efforts to protect the rights of indigenous communities.
 
To find out more about this year’s Lenten Appeal or to make a donation visit www.trocaire.org or call 0800 912 1200.

3Gallery