WHO chief thanks India for resuming COVID-19 vaccine exports
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New Delhi: The World Health Organisation chief on Wednesday appreciated India's decision to resume the export and donations of excess vaccines from next month under Vaccine Maitri to COVAX.
The Director-General of WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that it is an important development in support of reaching the 40 per cent vaccination target in all countries by the end of this year.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General has thanked Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for resuming shipments of vaccines against the Covid-19 to the global platform COVAX from October.
Health Minister on Monday had announced that India will resume the vaccine export to the global platform COVAX starting from October. He said, only excess supplies would qualify for export. "We will help other countries and fulfil our responsibility towards COVAX," he said on Monday.
Terming the decision an important development, the WHO Director said on social media, "Thank you Health Minister @mansukhmandviya for announcing #India will resume crucial #COVID19 vaccine shipments to #COVAX in October. This is an important development in support of reaching the 40 per cent vaccination target in all countries by the end of the year".
India stopped vaccine exports in the last week of April amid second Covid surge to jab its own population. However, prior to the export ban, India had either sold or donated 66 million doses to nearly 100 countries.
While announcing to resume the vaccine exports under Vaccine Maitri program, the minister Mandaviya said that the surplus supply of vaccines will be used to fulfill the commitment towards the world for the collective fight against Covid-19.
COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO. While talking about the production of the vaccine in coming months, Mandaviya said that more than 30 crore doses will be produced in October and more than 100 crores in the coming quarter vaccines will be produced.