COVID-19: Ashwini Kumar Choubey holds talks with UK minister, pledges cooperation

Union Ministry of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey, on October 5, held talks with British Minister for the state for South East Asia Tariq Ahmed. In the discussion, which was held via video conference, both the lawmakers, deliberated upon mutual relations in the health sector as well as prospects of a COVID-19 vaccine and attempts to make it available to the public.

“Choubey said that COVID-19 has given humanity an opportunity to come together and fight this pandemic with full force and resolve", the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare revealed in the statement.

'Vasudhaiva Katumbkam'

Talking about India’s century-old spirit of “Vasudhaiva Katumbkam, The World Is One Family”, the minister said that it was this “cultural attitude” which would play an important role for humanity in the future. In addendum, Chobey also said that the bilateral cooperation between the India and UK was “deep ad strong”. Britain, which is aiming to launch a vaccine by next year has already inked a deal with a Mumbai based firm to mass-produce the vaccine.

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This comes days after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson credited India's role in the manufacture and access to one of the most promising Coronavirus vaccine candidates currently undergoing trials. Talking about the partnership between UK-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India, Johnson emphasised on the importance of equitable access to any successful vaccine, adding that the health of every country depends on the whole world having access to a safe and effective vaccine, wherever a breakthrough might occur.

"As I speak there are 100 potential vaccines that are trying to clear the hurdles of safety and efficacy, as if in a giant global steeplechase. The Oxford vaccine is now in Stage 3 of clinical trials, and in case of success AstraZeneca NSE 2.08 % has already begun to manufacture millions of doses, in readiness for rapid distribution, and they have reached agreement with the Serum Institute of India to supply 1 billion doses to low and middle-income countries," he said.

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