WHO scientist Soumya Swaminathan welcomes India's call to restart COVID vaccine exports

On Tuesday, Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Soumya Swaminathan embraced India's call to restart COVID vaccine exports. She said the move will go a long way to achieve global Vaccine Equity. "COVAX welcomes the decision to restart COVID vaccine exports. Will go a long way to achieve global Vaccine Equity," Soumya Swaminathan said.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya had on Monday said that India will resume export of surplus COVID vaccines in the fourth quarter of this year under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, a project to provide COVID vaccines to countries across the world.

Health Minister announces to restart 'Vaccine Maitri'

"Under Vaccine Maitri, we will help the world and contribute to Covax in the fourth quarter," Mandaviya said. Briefing the media he also informed that the government will receive more than 30 crore vaccine doses in October and the number will go up over 100 crores in the next three months "as Biological E and other companies are bringing their vaccines into the market."

The Union Health Minister also spotlighted that vaccination of Indian citizens is the topmost priority of the Government.

Vaccine Maitri is a humanitarian initiative undertaken by the Indian Government to provide COVID vaccines to countries around the world. The initiative commenced on January 20, 2021. As of May 9, 2021, India had shipped around 66.3 million vaccines. Of these, over 10 million doses were gifted to 47 nations by the Government. Meanwhile, with the administration of 96,46,778 vaccine doses in the past 24 hours, India's COVID vaccination coverage surpassed the 81.85 crores mark.

India crosses 81 crore vaccination mark

Meanwhile, with the administration of 96,46,778 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 81.85 crores (81,85,13,827) as per provisional reports till 7 am on Tuesday, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The ministry said that this has been achieved through 80,35,135 sessions.

As per the data, as many as 1,03,69,386 healthcare workers have been inoculated with the first dose of COVID vaccine while 87,50,107 have been inoculated with both doses. The number of frontline workers vaccinated stands at 1,83,46,016 (first dose) and 1,45,66,593 (two doses). Early this year, India halted vaccine exports as Coronavirus cases surged in the country.

Inputs: ANI

Image: PTI/PIXABAY