A senior Republican senator welcomed India’s decision to resume exports of Covid-19 vaccine and asked the country to increase production to meet its international obligations. India said last week that it will resume the export of Covid-19 vaccine in the fourth quarter of 2021 under the “Vaccine Maitri” program, and fulfill its commitment to the Covax global vaccine library. However, Health Minister Mansuk Mandavia stated that vaccinating Indian citizens remains the government’s top priority.
Senator Jim Risch, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, welcomed India’s decision to resume exports. “I welcome India’s announcement that it will restart exporting Covid-19 vaccines,” Risch said on Twitter on Tuesday. “I encourage India to step up to fulfill COVAX and commercial orders, which are vital to the entire Indo-Pacific region and the world,” he added.
After the second wave of pandemic hit the country in April this year, India stopped exports of Covid-19 vaccine. Mandavia asserted that vaccinating its citizens is still the government’s top priority. He said: “India will resume the export of Covid-19 vaccine under the vaccine Maitri in accordance with our motto “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” in order to fulfill India’s commitment to COVAX. promise. COVAX is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to the Covid-19 vaccine guided by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Alliance for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation and WHO.
News Source : Backtrack
