New Delhi: India delivered Thursday two million doses of Covishield vaccines to Bangladesh and one million doses to Nepal under grants assistance. India will also send supplies to Myanmar and Seychelles. It is learnt that a consignment containing 1.5 million doses of Covishield vaccines will reach Myanmar Friday.
“Nepal receives Indian vaccines. Putting neighbours first, putting people first!” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Twitter. “Touchdown in Dhaka. #Vaccine Maitri reaffirms the highest priority accorded by India to relations with Bangladesh,” he said in another tweet.
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka tweeted that a ‘gift of 2 million’ made-in-India COVID-19 vaccine was handed over to Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK A Momen and Health Minister Zahid Maleque by Indian envoy Vikram Doraiswami.
The Indian embassy in Kathmandu said a total of one million doses of vaccines was handed over to Nepal in reflection of India’s abiding friendship and commitment towards the people of the country. Earlier Wednesday, India had sent 1,50,000 doses of Covishield vaccine to Bhutan and 1,00,000 doses to the Maldives.
India is one of the world’s biggest drugmakers, and an increasing number of countries have already approached it for procuring the coronavirus vaccines.
India has already rolled out a massive coronavirus vaccination drive under which two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, are being administered to frontline health workers across the country.
While Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech.
The MEA said it will be ensured that domestic manufacturers have adequate stocks to meet domestic requirements while supplying abroad.
India had earlier supplied hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir and paracetamol tablets, as well as diagnostic kits, ventilators, masks, gloves and other medical supplies to a large number of countries to help them deal with the pandemic.
