India gives 20,000 COVID-19 vaccines to St. Kitts and Nevis
Kaieteur News – Yesterday, India provided 20,000 doses of its COVID-19 – COVISHIELD (Oxford-AstraZeneca) vaccine, to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis to meet the immediate demands of that island nation of vaccinating healthcare workers, frontline workers and those with co-morbidities. The COVISHIELD vaccine is made in India by the Indian Serum Institute, Pune, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer in collaboration with Oxford-AstraZeneca.
In a statement, the Indian High Commission in Georgetown, Guyana, noted that by providing the COVID vaccine within days of its introduction, India has once again demonstrated its willingness and ability to act as a First Responder to crises in the World, including in St. Kitts and Nevis. The Government of India has announced a total donation of 570,000 doses to the CARICOM region, of which 125,000 doses of COVISHIELD vaccine are to OECS, Antigua and Barbuda (40,000) countries, St. Kitts and Nevis (20,000), Saint Lucia (25,000), St Vincent and the Grenadines (40,000) who arrived in Antigua and Barbuda yesterday. These doses of vaccine from India were received by special charter flight and the RSS is transporting the appropriate shipments from Antigua and Barbuda to the other countries in the next 24 hours.
Prime Minister St. Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Timothy Harris, along with HE Dr. KJ Srinivasa, High Commissioner of India, dose batch of vaccine, at a special ceremony held at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport.
In brief remarks, Prime Minister Harris thanked the Prime Minister of India, Hon. Narendra Modi, and Foreign Minister, AU S Jaishankar, for generously donating COVID-19 vaccines to St. Kitts and Nevis, who have strengthened their hands in the fight against the COVID pandemic.
In his speech on the occasion, the High Commissioner highlighted that giving vaccines to St. Kitts and Nevis honor Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to harness India’s vaccine production and distribution capability to help all of humanity fight the crisis. He emphasized the fact that St. Kitts and Nevis received the vaccine in the first few days of India’s aid to friendly countries, highlighted the special place that St Kitts and Nevis occupy in India’s Foreign Policy. It also strengthened India’s credentials as the direct responder to St Kitts and Nevis in times of emergency situations. He reiterated that the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines to St. Kitts and Nevis mark another milestone in our bilateral relations. The High Commissioner was happy to note that, with India’s support, St. Kitts and Nevis can intensify the vaccination campaign so early in the global fight against the pandemic. He hoped the vaccine would help St. Kitts and Nevis to save lives, ameliorating the suffering of the St Kitts and Nevis siblings and bringing the country’s economy back to normal. He quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said that India has always been guided by its ancient philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – one goal. Even during the pandemic, India increased its pharmaceutical production – especially hydrochloroquine and paracetamol – to respond to growing global demands. India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, also stated that India was supplying medicines to 150 countries during the pandemic, more than half on a non-commercial basis, to deal with medical complications arising from COVID. He quoted Dr. Srinivasa Dr. Jaishankar, who said that the Bhagavad Gita states ‘do your work with the welfare of others always in mind’ and Maitri Vaccine = Vaccine Friendship. It can be noted that the Media calls our vaccine friendship effort “Vaccine Diplomacy.”
Setting up the world’s largest vaccination campaign in India on 16 January 2021, PM Modi said, “Today, when we have developed our own vaccine, the world is looking at India with hope. As our vaccination drive will progress, other countries of the world will benefit. The Indian vaccine and our production capacity must be used for the benefit of people; this is our commitment. ”The administration of COVID-19 vaccines today fulfills the promise made by our Prime Minister.
During this pandemic, the Governments of India and St. Kitts and Nevis work in partnership to save lives, and secure medicine and other vital medical supplies for St. Kitts and Nevis. The Government of India has provided the US Government of St Kitts and Nevis with life-saving medicines and medical supplies worth US $ 100,000 and 10,000 Hydroxychloroquine tablets as a gesture of goodwill to support its fight against COVID-19. The medicines and medical supplies thus provided include Azithromycin, Amikacin injections, Cefotaxime Sodium injections, Ceftazadime Injections, Lopinavir / Ritonavir Tabs, Oseltamivir Caps., Amoxicillin + Clavulanic Acid Susp., Levocetrizine, Mannron, Metron. Paracetamol, Venus Inner Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Vitamin C. Tabs, Thermometer, Surgical Gowns, Over Shoes, Surgical Gloves, Cape Hood, Sampling Tubes and Swabs. Apart from this, as part of our efforts to combat COVID-19, India also extended the assistance of the US $ 1 million “Rapid Impact Community Development Projects” Fund to St Kitts and Nevis Government for improving health infrastructure and capabilities. All CARICOM countries were offered the same level of support, ie US $ 1 million. This US $ 1 million Indian aid is used for improving health infrastructure in St. Kitts and Nevis. Out of the US $ 1 million, US $ 300,000 has already been approved for the procurement of life-saving medical supplies and equipment such as Ventilators, masks, infrared thermometers, defibrillator test kits, medicines and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the balance is processed for approval.
India and St. Kitts and Nevis share unique and special relationships that are honored with time and nurtured by friendship and cooperation. Our shared values of democracy and the rule of law strengthen our bilateral partnership based on mutual trust and mutual respect. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the traditional contacts have acquired a new vision and energy. The arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines to St Kitts and Nevis yesterday marked another milestone in its bilateral relations with India, which now acts as a model at CARICOM, the statement added.
Trials of COVID-19 vaccines are progressing well in India. Currently, there are quite a few vaccines in different phases of trials. India’s first indigenous vaccine against the new coronavirus, Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Medical Research Council of India (ICMR) and the National Institute of virology, Pune, is in the third phase of clinical trials. Others like ZyCOV-D developed by Zydus Cadilla in Ahmedabad, and the Novavax protein subgenital vaccine, are also undergoing trials at various stages. Multiple approved vaccines are likely to hit the Indian market in 2021. According to India’s Health Minister, Dr. Harshvardhan, at least 18-19 coronary vaccine candidates including oral and nasal vaccines are in the pipeline and will be available for use in the coming few months highlighting India’s leading role as “the world’s pharmacy.”