AMN/ WEB DESK
The Pharmacy of the world, India has supplied over 5 crore 86 lakh doses of indigenous Covid19 vaccines to nearly 71 countries till date. Out of the total supply over 81 lakh doses have been given free of cost as grant aid to 37 countries whereas 1 crore 65 lakh doses have been sent under the COVAX facility route to around 31 countries.
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius , Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Bahrain , Oman and Afghanistan including others were the first countries to receive the Made in India Vaccines through the grant aid route under the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative.
COVAX is an unique global collaboration with more than two-third of the countries in the world engaged together in order to ensure equitable supply of COVID vaccines.
The Ministry of External Affairs has informed that over 3 crore 39 lakh vaccine doses have also been sent to 24 different countries on commercial basis. It added that many countries have been supplied the Made in India Vaccines through multiple modes which include both as grant aid and through COVAX facility.
India began its ‘Vaccine Maitri’ to supply Covid vaccine to different nations more than one and half months ago. Following requests from various countries for the supply of Indian-manufactured vaccines, the government had started the supply of Covid vaccines on the 20th of January to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles under the grant assistance.
The External Affairs Ministry has said that this is being done in line with India’s stated commitment to using India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity to help humanity fight the Covid pandemic.