India is ready to provide vaccines to Caribbean and Latin America, says Indian Minister Mandaviya

India is ready to provide vaccines to Caribbean and Latin America, says Indian Minister Mandaviya

Indian Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that his country is willing to send COVID-19 vaccines to Latin American and Caribbean nations.

He said India is ready to supply Covishield (Oxford Astrazeneca’s vaccine manufactured in India) and Covaxin (produced by an Indian Pharma company).

India was the first country to reach out to small Caribbean nations with COVID-19 vaccines. Many countries in the region could kick start their vaccination drives with help from India’s Vaccine Maitri Initiative that provided vaccines to low-income countries.

Countries like Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Guyana, Barbados, Grenada, Suriname, etc. benefitted from India’s vaccine initiative.

Explaining India’s strategy to combat Covid-19, the Health Minister spoke about the six vaccines that have been approved in the country.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, after 1.2 billion doses were administered with 82 percent of Indians receiving at least one dose of vaccination and 44 percent of Indians being fully vaccinated.

Prime Minister of Dominica Dr Roosevelt Skerrit receiving vaccines delivered by India.
Prime Minister of Dominica Dr Roosevelt Skerrit receiving vaccines delivered by India.

“India was able to combat Covid-19 under a ‘whole government’ approach, where provincial and local governance provided a foundation for the efforts of the Government of India,” Mandaviya said.

“India is driven by the philosophy of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’, which has motivated us to provide Covid-19 vaccines, hydroxychloroquine and other medical requirements to all our friends. Furthermore, India is willing to supply Covishield and Covaxin to all present countries. Mandaviya told media.

He thanked them for making it easier for the people to make contact with the people by recognizing the vaccination in India.

“Mutual recognition of vaccines increases the travel light for tourism and business, thereby strengthening the economic recovery that the world so desperately needs,” the Minister said.

Mandaviya noted that more than 70 million teleconsultations were recorded in eSanjeevani India’s flagship telemedicine portal on possible convergence areas.

With its expertise in information technology, India quickly launched the CoWIN platform for its vaccination program. He said that India has shared the technology with partners and will help all nations build their vaccines.

“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s health care is witnessing a revolutionary transformation that its friends can adopt,” said the Union’s health minister.

The Indian Minister also called on the assembled nations to study the possibility of an exchange program for health professionals.