New Delhi: India’s vaccine diplomacy has reached 17 nations. Not just neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and others, Indian government has sent vaccines to countries in far west including West Asia, Africa and Latin America.
As part of PM Modi’s pledge to help small and poor countries overcome the Covid-19 pandemic challenges, India has been supplying vaccines to countries free of cost under ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative.
Till date, India has supplied 56 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines as part of an international grant while another 1 crore doses have been flown out of the country commercially.
In another next few days, the Centre has outlined plan to gift 5 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to CARICOM countries (Caribbean Community) and another 2 lakh doses each to Nicaragua and the Pacific Island states. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a grouping of 20 island nations which are home to approximately 16 million people.
Caribbean nations laud India’s humanitarian aid
The Caribbean nations have expressed deep gratitude and thankfulness to Indian government for stellar role in providing vaccines to fight against the pandemic. The vaccines are being sent from India to these countries as humanitarian aid.
CARICOM countries include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, are CARICOM countries.
CARICOM nations have adopted a resolution on equitable distribution of vaccines. Through the resolution, the Caribbean nations have asked vaccine-producing nations to increase production and reduce costs so that developing countries, too can buy the vaccine stocks.
Showering praise on India’s role, Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders said, “Developed countries, representing 15% of population have purchased 60% of vaccines. India has demonstrated that it is a caring nation and is an example before the world on the international co-operation.”
“India has not sought to extract any conditions for its generosity to countries that have no vaccines to fight pandemic,” Sanders told a leading portal.
Sanders further informed that 34 member states of the CARICOM accounts for 45% of cases and 48% deaths globally.
India gifting vaccine doses to many countries
Despite undertaking the ‘largest immunisation programme in the world,’ india has already supplied vaccines in plenty to neighbouring and backward countries to help them fight off pandemic.
These include 1 lakh vaccine doses to Bahrain, 1 lakh to Oman, 5 lakh to Afghanistan, 1 lakh to Barbados, 20 lakh to Bangladesh, 17 lakh to Myanmar, 10 lakh to Nepal, 1.5 lakh to Bhutan, 1 lakh to the Maldives, 1 lakh to Seychelles, 5 lakh to Sri Lanka and 70,000 to Dominica, all as gifts.
India has also supplied vaccines on a commercial basis to Brazil (20 lakhs), Egypt (50,000), Algeria (50,000), South Africa (10 lakhs), Kuwait (2 lakhs), UAE (2 lakhs), Morocco (60 lakhs), Bangladesh (50 lakhs) and Myanmar (20 lakhs).
As part of the GAVI-COVAX alliance, India will also supply 1 crore (10 million) doses to Africa and 10 lakh (1 million) to UN health workers.
