Berlin: United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that vaccine production capacity of India is the “best asset” the world has today.
“I know that in India there is a very high level of production of Indian developed vaccines. We are in contact with Indian institutions for that. 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 said in Berlin on Thursday.
“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.
Stressing on the need to democratize access to medicines, Guterres said: “It’s very important… I appeal 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.”
The Indian government has gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine to neighbouring countries.
There are also plans to gift corona vaccines to Oman, CARICOM countries, Nicaragua and Pacific Island states, besides 10 million doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers, External Affairs Ministry (EAM) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava informed.
