India says ready to offer vaccines to Africa to tackle Omicron variant

India is ready to send “immediate” more vaccines against covid-19 to Africa to treat the variant of the coronavirus Omicron, New Delhi announced late Monday, shortly after China pledged to offer 1 billion doses of vaccine to .

India and China have close ties with many African countries, but Beijing has invested more money in Africa and yesterday pledged to invest an additional $ 10 billion.

India has said it has offered more than 25 million doses of vaccines produced in the country in 41 African countries, mainly through the COVAX mechanism.

“The Indian government is ready to support the affected countries in Africa facing the Omicron strain by offering them vaccines made in India,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The vaccines “can be given through COAVX or through bilateral agreements,” he added.

According to the announcement, New Delhi has approved all orders placed by COVAX for the delivery of AstraZeneca vaccines to countries such as Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea and Lesotho, while offering doses of domestically produced Covaxin vaccine in Botswana.

Last month, India resumed exports of covid-19 vaccines for the first time since April, when it banned sales overseas as it sought to immunize its residents due to the outbreak.

Since then, production of covid-19 vaccines has more than tripled in India, reaching about 300 million doses per month.

India has given at least one dose of covid-19 vaccine to 83% of its 944 million adult population and two doses to 47%.

SOURCE: AMPE