Caribbean Prime Ministers congratulates India for administering 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines

Prime Minister of Dominica Dr Roosevelt Skerrit took over on Twitter to commend India for administering 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Friday, 22nd October 2021

Dominica: As India marks the milestone of giving 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses on Thursday, several Caribbean leaders congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for successfully driving a vaccine campaign to immunize the highest population in the world. Prime Minister of Dominica Dr Roosevelt Skerrit took over on Twitter to commend India, "I Congratulate @narendramodi for leading India into a massive vaccination campaign and successfully administering over 1 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccines. Together, we must work closely in our fight against the global pandemic."

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Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Timothy Harris and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne also congratulated people and government of India on their success. PM Harris said, "Many congratulations to #India on the major achievement of crossing 100 #crore vaccinations. It's a significant landmark for @narendramodi"

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PM Browne also tweeted, "Congratulations to the Government and People of The Republic of India on this significant milestone!"

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Following a slow derivation in mid-January, India's vaccination drive covered three-quarters of its 944 million adults with at least one dose, but only 31% with two doses. The administration intends that all adults be vaccinated this year. "India is writing history," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter. "We see the victory of the Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of (1.3 billion) Indians."

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PM Modi indicated the opportunity by talking to health workers and a security guard at a government hospital in New Delhi. The Ministry of Health has announced musical and other programs across the country and special illuminations of national monuments, including a prison from the colonial era. Approximately 90% of the vaccines given in India come from the Serum Institute of India (SII), which produces a authorised version of the AstraZeneca (AZN.L) drug. Since April, SII has more than tripled its volume and can now make 220 million vaccine shots per month. SII also started exports slowly for the first time since April, when the government stopped all sales abroad to fit domestic demand as infections increased dramatically. The World Health Organization (WHO), which relies profoundly on India to accommodate its global vaccine distribution platform COVAX, praised the country for reaching the landmark. WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted "Congratulations, Prime Minister @narendramodi, the scientists, #healthworkers and people of #India, on your efforts to protect the vulnerable populations from #COVID19 and achieve #VaccinEquity targets."

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COVAX partner UNICEF also congratulated India, saying it was looking forward to hearing "details on the expected timeline and quantities of supplies to come into the world". According to Reuters reports that India has delayed the supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine to COVAX. New Delhi is irritated by the repeated delay by the WHO with the addition of India's own Covaxin shot to the world body's emergency list, something both parties discussed this week as well as exports. India has so far confirmed 34.1 million COVID-19 cases and more than 452,000 deaths, most throughout the second wave of Delta variant infections amid April and May. The health ministry announced on Tuesday as new infections had dropped to their lowest level since early March. Daily surveys averaged 5 million this month, a fifth of the peak in September, although states are sitting on record stocks of more than 100 million as domestic production of the AstraZeneca vaccine rises. Despite the current low number of infections, ministry ministries have called on people to be vaccinated quickly, especially as the continued festive season means family gatherings and mass shopping, which increases the risk of a new wave of infections.