Dominican Republic: A consignment of made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines has been received in the Dominican Republic as India’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme reached the Caribbean.
“Delivered to the Dominican Republic. ‘Vaccine Maitri’ transfers our Caribbean friends,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted on Tuesday, along with photos of the consignment being received in the Dominican Republic.
Jaishankar also retweeted the Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader’s tweet stating that AstraZeneca vaccines from India had been received and his people will start vaccinating front-line personnel.
Dominican President Luis Abinader said,” With hope and satisfaction, we received the first AstraZeneca vaccines from India. Tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. We started vaccinating front-line personnel at Hospital Ramón De Lara. In the afternoon, the process continues in the other COVID hospitals in the country.”
Con esperanza y satisfacción recibimos las primeras vacunas de AstraZeneca, desde la India. Mañana a las 7:00 a.m. iniciamos la vacunación al personal de primera línea en el Hospital Ramón De Lara. En la tarde el proceso continúa en los demás hospitales COVID del país #VacúnateRD pic.twitter.com/jvX6eQYHXn
— Luis Abinader (@luisabinader) February 16, 2021
Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez tweeted, “At a crucial moment, the Indian govt assists by stimulating the delivery of 20,000 doses of AZ to the dom people. Thank you.”
En un momento crucial el gob de la India colabora en acelerar la entrega de 20,000 dosis de AZ al pueblo dom. Gracias. At a crucial moment the Indian govt assists by accelerating the delivery of 20,000 dosis of AZ to the dom people. Thank you @DrSJaishankar @narendramodi https://t.co/xks57wZsDw
— Roberto Alvarez (@RobalsdqAlvarez) February 16, 2021
Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs had stated that India gave over 229 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to several countries, out of which 64 lakh doses have been supplied as grant assistance and 165 lakh on a commercial basis.
India had already delivered vaccines to other Caribbean countries like the Commonwealth of Dominica, Barbados.
In the coming weeks, vaccines will be supplied to more countries in Africa, Latin America, CARICOM, and the Pacific Island state, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said.
In a significant announcement, India, on January 19, said it would send COVID-19 vaccines under grant assistance to several countries.
India is one of the world’s largest drugmakers, and an increasing number of countries have already approached it for procuring anti-coronavirus vaccines.
The Dominican Republic’s central bank expects the country to grow 5.5-6.0% in 2021.
“Thanks to the will of God, a people united in prayer, the collaboration of the government of India and the leadership of the president Luis Abinade, We have received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca, named Covishield. Tomorrow we start vaccinating!” said Vice President of the Dominican Republic Raquel Peña.
Gracias a la voluntad de Dios, de un pueblo unido en oración, la colaboración del gobierno de India y el liderazgo del presidente @LuisAbinader hemos recibido el primer lote de vacunas contra COVID-19 de AstraZeneca, denominada Covishield. ¡Mañana empezamos a vacunar! #VacúnateRD https://t.co/4BhCMBO3cz
— Raquel Peña (@RaquelPenaVice) February 16, 2021
