India offers vaccines and other aid to nations affected by Omicron

India offers vaccines and other aid to nations affected by Omicron, including essential life-saving medicines.

Overview:

  • Supplies can be made through Covax or bilaterally, the MEA said.
  • The Government of India is ready to support affected countries in Africa, MEA said.
  • Covid’s new variant Omicron was first reported in South Africa

The central government on Monday offered the supply of the ‘Made in India’ vaccine and other aid to countries dealing with the new variant of Covid ‘Omicron’ in Africa. In a statement, the Union Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) said: “The Government of India is ready to help affected African countries to cope with the Omicron variant, including by supplying vaccines’ Made in India ‘. performed through Covax or bilaterally. “

In this regard, the central government has approved all the orders made so far by Covax for the supply of Covishield vaccines, including to African countries such as Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea and Lesotho, the MEA added.

“We have also authorized Covaxin supplies to Botswana. Any new projected requirements either bilaterally or through Covax will be considered promptly,” the Ministry said in a statement, adding that India is also ready to supply essential life-saving drugs, kits. gloves, PPE equipment, and medical equipment such as ventilators, as needed.

Indian institutions would welcome cooperation in research work related to genomic surveillance and virus characterization with their African counterparts.

The Union government has so far supplied more than 25 million doses of Made in India vaccines to 41 countries in Africa, including almost one million doses as a subsidy to 16 countries and more than 16 million doses within the facilities. from Covax to 33 countries.

The new variant of Covid, Omicron, was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on November 24, 2021.