GOVT ASSESSES SUPPLY OF COVID VACCINES TO OTHER COUNTRIES

NEW DELHI: The government held a meeting with the two Indian manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines to review the issue of supplying doses to foreign countries both as grants and through commercial sales, people familiar with developments said on Monday.

The government is currently working out modalities to provide millions of doses as assistance to neighbouring and developing countries and to fulfil commercial contracts inked by the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, the makers of Covishield and Covaxin.

The meeting between the ministries of health and external affairs and the department of pharmaceuticals looked at factors such as domestic requirements, India’s commitment to supply vaccines to Gavi or the Vaccine Alliance for developing countries and supply of vaccines through commercial sales and governmentto-government channels, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

Officials have pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurances that India’s vaccine capacities will be used to benefit the world. The external affairs ministry said last week a decision on exports will take some more time though greater clarity is expected soon, the people said.

Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Sunday congratulated PM Modi on the “successful roll out” of the vaccines. “My heartiest congratulations to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi on the successful roll out of the #COVID19 vaccine & his generosity towards friendly neighbouring countries,” he tweeted.

Reacting to the tweet, PM Modi said, “Thank you, President @GotabayaR. We will contrinue to give due importance to our Neighborhood First policy while collectively fighting the pandemic.”