'Important Development': WHO Chief Thanks India for Resuming COVID Jab Exports
Mandaviya said India will resume the export and donations of the COVID jabs to other countries from next month.
World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
(Photo: WHO/Screenshot/Altered by The Quint)
World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday, 22 September, thanked India for resuming the export of COVID-19 vaccines in order to fulfil its commitment towards COVAX.
"This is an important development in support of reaching 40% vaccination target in all countries by the end of the year," Ghebreyesus said.
On Monday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that India will resume the export and donations of the COVID-19 vaccines to other countries from next month.
"Under 'Vaccine Maitri', we will help the world and contribute to COVAX in the fourth quarter," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Only surplus vaccine doses will be exported, and the vaccination of Indian citizens will remain the topmost priority for the government, Mandaviya further observed.
India had halted the export of vaccines to other countries in April this year, as infections had surged during the second wave of the pandemic.
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