Chris Gayle expresses gratitude to PM Modi as Jamaica gets India's COVID-19 vaccine gift

West Indies cricketer and 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday for providing COVID-19 vaccines to Jamaica. The Caribbean region received 20,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines from India on March 11 as a part of the latter's 'Vaccine Maitri' aimed at helping countries across the world deal with the pandemic. In a video posted by the High Commission of India in Jamaica, Chris Gayle thanked PM Modi and the Government of India for extending help via vaccines to the Caribbean region. The Universe Boss also had a message for his fans in India and announced that he would be seeing them very soon. 

Chris Gayle thanks PM Modi 

Earlier, former West Indies cricketers including Sir Vivian Richards thanked the Indian government for assisting the Caribbean region via its mega initiative to provide vaccines. Sir Richards thanked PM Modi for his 'kind generosity' and the 'wonderful contribution' of 'Made in India' vaccines on behalf of the people of Antigua and Barbuda. Jamaican cricketer Jimmy Adams said he was deeply grateful to the government of India as his home country as well as Antigua had been benefitted from the Oxford-Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccines. 

Earlier on March 1, India shipped half a million COVID-19 vaccines destined for over 4 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries and Suriname. Sharing the development on Twitter, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the move came as part of India's commitment to the Caribbean Community. Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda thanked PM Modi for providing over 500 thousand Made in India Covishield vaccines to the country and praised India for 'generously and selflessly' assisting the Caribbean in their fight against COVID-19. 

What is the 'Vaccine Maitri' programme? 

India's Vaccine Maitri programme that started in February, aims to help poor countries amid the global pandemic. In this brief period, the country has delivered around 45.6 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech's indigenous vaccine, of which 38.47 million doses were commercial supplies and 7.12 million doses were granted to around 45 countries. Neighbouring Bangladesh became the major recipient of COVID vaccines, having received 9 million doses to date. Morocco emerged as the second-largest recipient with commercial supplies of 2 million doses till February 24. Some other countries that were benefited from India's gift of vaccines include Brazil, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.