EAM Jaishankar asserts India's vaccine manufacturing prowess amid COVID-19 fight

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Monday, November 16 said that the world is counting on India to make COVID-19 vaccines affordable and accessible to all. Jaishankar, while speaking at the third edition of Deccan Dialogue, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has committed to the United Nations that India will help make COVID-19 vaccines accessible and affordable for all, adding the "world is counting on us to do so". 

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'World is counting on us'

EAM Jaishankar said, "PM Modi has committed to the UN that we will help make vaccines accessible and affordable to all. And believe me, from the regular conversations I have had with so many counterparts, the world is counting on us to do so."  

Jaishankar further stated that all countries must try and come out of the COVID-19 crisis with a stronger sense of cooperation, emphasizing this year's theme of Deccan Dialogue, 'Crisis and Cooperation: Imperative in the times of Pandemic'. 

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India is one of the largest producers of vaccines in the world, which makes it an important player in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Serum Institute of India is the world's largest producer of vaccines in terms of the number of doses produced in 2019 and it has partnered with British firm AstraZeneca to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to India and other low-and middle-income countries. 

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With the virus spreading rapidly across the globe, urgent vaccine roll-out has become the need of the hour. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), currently, there are more than 150 vaccine candidates being developed across the world with some in Phase 3 of human trials. However, the global health body has warned that even if a vaccine is available by the end of this year, it may take several months into 2021 before a large chunk of the population could be vaccinated. 

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(Image Credit: AP)