UN chief calls India's vaccine production capacity 'best asset' world has today

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday denominated the vaccine production capacity of India as the "best asset" that the world has today while calling for India to play a major role in the global vaccination campaign. His statement comes after India has gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine to neighboring countries.

"I know that in India there is a very high level of production of Indian developed vaccines. We are in contact with Indian institutions for that. We strongly hope that India will have all the instruments that are necessary to play a major role in making sure that a global vaccination is campaign is made possible," said the UN chief while addressing the media.

He added, "I think that the production capacity of India is the best asset that the world has today. I hope the world understands that it must be fully used."

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External Affairs Ministry (EAM) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava in a press meet on Thursday announced that India plans to gift COVID vaccine doses to Oman, CARICOM countries, Nicaragua, Pacific Island states.

The EAM spokesperson also promulgated that New Delhi plans to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI's (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) COVAX facility and commercially export coronavirus vaccine to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mongolia, and other countries.

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"From 20th January 2021 onward, we have gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to our neighboring countries and in the extended neighborhood--1.5 lakh to Bhutan, 1 lakh to Maldives, Mauritius, and Bahrain, 10 lakhs to Nepal, 20 lakhs to Bangladesh, 15 lakhs to Myanmar, 50,000 to Seychelles, 5 lakh to Sri Lanka. In the coming days, We plan to gift further quantity to Oman that is of 1 lakh doses, 5 lakh doses to CARICOM countries. 2 lakh to Nicaragua, 2 lakh doses to the Pacific island state," said Srivastava. 

He added, "On a commercial level, the export has taken place for Brazil Morocco, and Bangladesh. Further supplies to countries on commercial bases are likely to take place in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada Mongolia, and other countries. We plan to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI."

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Sri Lanka gets 5 lakh COVID vaccine doses from India

On Thursday, Sri Lanka welcomed the first 500,000 doses of a Covid-19 vaccine from India, which has donated the shots to eight countries in the region. Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar announced on Twitter about the Coronavirus vaccine doses that reached Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took to Twitter and confirmed that his country has received 500,000 vaccine doses and also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and every Indian. A total of 250,000 people, mostly health frontline workers, members of the security forces and police, and the vulnerable aged will get the vaccine on a priority basis.

(With inputs from ANI)

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