India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar addressed a United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday, 17 February, offering COVID-19 vaccines to all UN peacekeepers.
"Keeping in mind the UN Peacekeepers who operate in such difficult circumstances, we would like to announce today a gift of 200,000 doses for them. Our contribution has also supported the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund," S Jaishankar said, Livemint quoted.
Further, he addressed the open debate on "Implementation of Resolution 2532”, saying, "In order for the world to put the COVID-19 pandemic decisively behind us and to emerge more resilient, I would like to put forth nine points."
He urged for cooperation on the COVAX initiative, which is trying to secure adequate vaccinations for the poorest nations all over the world, stressing that 'vaccine nationalism' needs to be stopped and internationalism should be encouraged.
He said, "Hoarding superfluous doses will defeat our efforts towards attaining collective health security.”
The Union minister appealed for addressing the “public resistance to vaccines” and shed light on the need to “improve public health infrastructure and build capacity through effective training programmes in vaccine delivery, especially in areas where health infrastructure is weak,” Livemint quoted.
India is directly sending vaccines to friends and partners. Starting with our immediate neighbours, 25 nations across the world have already received 'Made in India' vaccines. Forty-nine more countries will be supplied in the coming days, informed the Union minister.
(With inputs from Livemint.)
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