United Nations: World leaders thanked India for its help and support in combating the coronavirus pandemic through "early and meaningful" shipments of COVID-19 vaccine doses, as they addressed the high-level UN General Assembly session this year. Several world leaders expressed their gratitude to India and other nations for the help provided through exports of vaccines and other critical medical supplies in their national statements at the 76th UNGA session's General Debate that ran through September 21-27.
Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, in his address, expressed his sincere gratitude to the countries and organisations who expressed solidarity and had provided valuable support to my country and people in the battle against this pandemic, at a very early stage." "Our thanks extend especially to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, India, China and also the USA," Santokhi said. Nauru President Lionel Rouwen Aingimea said his country's efforts to respond to COVID-19 and vaccinate its people would not have been possible without the valuable support provided by our partners. We are truly grateful to our genuine friends Australia, India, Japan and Republic of China (Taiwan), for their ongoing assistance.
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari said Abuja remains grateful for the assistance received from its partners and friends all over the world. "Vaccination is the key to our safe emergence from the pandemic. We fully support the COVAX initiative from which we have benefitted. We also thank the United States of America, Turkey, India, China, European Union, and others for the vaccines provided," Buhari said. Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Philip Pierre said the insidious nature of the coronavirus has allowed it to sneak across even the most heavily patrolled borders, and Saint Lucia has experienced waves of highs and lows in managing this pandemic.
We extend our deepest gratitude to international institutions such as the COVAX Facility, and our many bilateral partners such as India and the United States of America, for their commitment to ensuring that we in Saint Lucia and by extension the Caribbean region, were not further disadvantaged by our inability to access vaccines," he said. India will resume the export of surplus COVID-19 vaccines in the fourth quarter of 2021 under the Vaccine Maitri' programme and meet its commitment to the COVAX global pool.
COVAX is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization. The Indian government had stopped the export of COVID-19 vaccines after the second wave of the pandemic hit the country in April this year. India has exported over 66 million vaccine doses to nearly 100 countries through grants, commercial shipments and the COVAX facility.
Also read:Duration of vaccine antibodies raise concern among health experts
Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves said it is timely to remind all of us that the noblest form of solidarity is to give not from the abundance or surplus that we may have but from the little that we possess; that is the lesson of the proverbial widow's mite." "On behalf of the Caribbean, I thank the government of the Republic of India for their early, and meaningful gift of Covishield Astrazeneca vaccines. Sadly, at least one country in the North Atlantic has refused to recognise Covishield for entry of persons into that country, Gonsalves said.