Our Bureau

India stands ready to support the affected countries in Africa in dealing with Omicron, the new Covid-19 variant, including by supplying Made-in-India vaccines, said the Ministry of External Affairs.

The country is also prepared to supply essential life-saving drugs, test kits, gloves, PPE kits and medical equipment such as ventilators.

“Supplies (of vaccines) can be undertaken through Covax or bilaterally. In this regard, the government has cleared all orders placed so far by Covax for supplies of Covishield vaccines, including to African countries like Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea and Lesotho. We have also cleared supplies of Covaxin to Botswana,” according to a release issued by the MEA on Monday.

The government will expeditiously consider any new requirement projected either bilaterally or through Covax, it added.

Indian institutions will favourably consider cooperation in genomic surveillance and virus characterisation-related research work with their African counterparts, said the MEA.

India has, so far, supplied more than 25 million doses of Made-in-India vaccines to 41 countries in Africa, including nearly 1 million doses as grant to 16 countries and more than 16 million doses under the Covax facility to 33 countries.