Today, a shipment containing 100,000 doses of COVISHIELD vaccine will arrive in the Maldives. With this, Maldives becomes India’s first vaccine nation. The shipment will land at 2pm in Malé from an Air India plane on Velana International Airport. “This reaffirms the reputation of India as the first responder in an emergency situation,” said the source.
India is a world leader in the production of the coronavirus vaccines and more and more countries have approached it. During his visit to the Maldives in June 2019, the Prime Minister correctly said that ‘Neighbourhood First is our priority; and in the Neighbourhood Maldives is priority’.
The contribution would meet the vaccine needs of a large proportion of the population, because Maldives have a population of around 500,000. Furthermore, Maldives promises to buy at commercial prices 300,000 doses of SII vaccines.
Maldives Foreign Minister has publicly declared that, during this crisis, India has been the *first and best responder* to the Maldives. It should be remembered that there are no criteria or aspirations of Indian assistance.
Nations To Get Vaccines From India
Indeed, on Wednesday, India will provide COVID-19 vaccines with support to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles, which will be sent to Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Mauritius, and with requisite regulatory clearances to be issued.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that India is deeply honoured to be a “long-trusted” partner in meeting the healthcare needs of the global community and that supplies of the vaccines to several countries will commence on Wednesday, and more will follow in the days ahead.
India is deeply honoured to be a long-trusted partner in meeting the healthcare needs of the global community. Supplies of Covid vaccines to several countries will commence tomorrow, and more will follow in the days ahead. #VaccineMaitri https://t.co/9Czfkuk8h7
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2021
“India fulfils commitment to give vaccines to humanity. Supplies to our neighbours will start on 20th January.The Pharmacy of the World will deliver to overcome the COVID challenge,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Twitter.
India fulfils commitment to give vaccines to humanity. Supplies to our neighbours will start on 20th January.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 19, 2021
The Pharmacy of the World will deliver to overcome the COVID challenge.#VaccineMaitri https://t.co/0pEW52ARe5
On Thursday, Bangladesh and Nepal will receive their first shipment, while on Friday, Myanmar and the Seychelles will receive vaccines.
Besides providing Covid assistance and drugs and vaccines, at the request of the Royal Government of Bhutan, the GoI, in addition to further funding releases for the ongoing projects, has speeded up the release of Rs 51 crore for its reprioritized projects to resolve the evolving problems of Covid 19.
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— PM Bhutan (@PMBhutan) January 18, 2021
– The first consignment of the vaccine will arrive in the country very soon. https://t.co/5ij3IntqYB pic.twitter.com/GGX292Mygh