New Delhi (NVI): United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has termed the India’s vaccine production capacity as the ‘best asset’ around the world to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also called upon India to play a significant role in the global vaccination campaign.
Addressing a media briefing yesterday, Guterres said that, “I think that the production capacity of India is the best asset that the world has today. I hope the world understands that it must be fully used.”
He added, “We strongly hope that India will have all the instruments that are necessary to play a major role in making sure that a global vaccination is campaign is made possible.”
The UN chief also described the development of India as a pharmaceutical powerhouse.
In addition, he said, “I know that, in India, there is a production, a very high level of production, both of Indian-developed vaccines and I think there is a perspective, very important perspective, of also others. And we are in contact with Indian institutions for that.”
Guterres further reiterated his appeal for the licenses to be made available to the companies across the world so that they are able to produce some of the vaccines that already exist.
“I would say a very important element on the democratization of access to medicines all over the world. I appealed once again today for the licenses to be made available in order for companies around the world to be able to produce some of the vaccines that already exist,” he added.
UN chief’s statement comes after the country has gifted over 55 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine to its neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, India has received interest from many neighbouring countries to access the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured the country, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
So far, India has supplied vaccine doses to Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius and Bahrain, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Seychelles, Sri Lanka— all key partners and neighbouring nations.
-RJV
