India to export surplus Covid jabs in Oct: Health Min
Vaccine Maitri’ is all set to resume from the fourth quarter of October, with the Union Minister of Health, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Monday announcing that the export of vaccines would be done in order to fulfil India’s commitment towards COVAX, in line with the country’s motto “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”
Addressing the media, the Union Health Minister, however, stressed that vaccinating its own citizens remains the topmost priority of the Government. He also said that cumulative doses administered so far across the country have crossed 81 crore and the last 10 crore doses were administered in just 11 days.
“Surplus vaccines will be used to fulfil our commitment to the world for the collective fight against Covid-19. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organisation (WHO),” the Minister said.
Highlighting the importance of indigenous research and production of Covid vaccines in India, he said, “It is due to the relentless efforts and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India was simultaneously undertaking research and production of Covid vaccines in line with the global developments.”
India’s vaccination drive has been a role model for the world and it is marching ahead. “More than four times we have crossed the one crore-mark since the vaccination drive was commenced on January 16”, he added.
He said that more than 30 crore doses will be produced in October and more than 100 crore vaccines will be produced in the coming quarter.
When India was facing a shortage of Covid-19 vaccines for the domestic market in the backdrop of the ferocious second wave, the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative came to a halt in April.
As part of the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative earlier this year, India had supplied over 66 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to more than 70 countries. Some of the beneficiaries of the initiative were Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Morocco, South Africa, Afghanistan, Mexico, DR Congo, Nigeria and the UK.
India on Friday administered a record number of over 2.50 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses on the occasion of Modi’s 71st birthday. India took 85 days to touch the 10-crore vaccination mark, 45 more days to cross the 20-crore mark and 29 more days to reach the 30-crore mark, according to the Health Ministry.
The country took 24 days to reach 40 crore from 30 crore doses and then 20 more days to cross the 50-crore vaccination mark on August 6. It took 19 more days to go past the 60-crore mark and took only 13 days to reach 70 crore from 60 crore on September 7 and then took just 11 days to reach 80 crore from 70 crore.
