Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the UN General Assembly on video
New Delhi:
India can help lift the world out of the coronavirus crisis with the mass distribution of vaccines once all trials are successfully completed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today in his virtual address to the United Nations General Assembly or the UNGA. He called on the UN to do more in the fight against the pandemic.
“As the largest vaccine producing country in the world, I want to give one more assurance to the global community today,” said Prime Minister Modi. “India’s vaccine production and distribution capacity will be used to help all of humanity fight this crisis,” he said.
He said India was moving forward with phase 3 clinical trials, the large-scale trials considered the gold standard for determining safety and efficacy, and would help all countries improve their cold chain and storage capacities for the delivery of vaccines.
“India’s vaccine production and capacity will help the world overcome this pandemic. India sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries during the coronavirus crisis,” Prime Minister Modi said.
This year’s UNGA is taking place online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In his Independence Day speech last month, Prime Minister Modi said that three vaccines are in different stages of testing. “When the scientists give the go-ahead, we will be ready with a production plan. How will the vaccine get to all Indians in the shortest time possible – we have a roadmap ready for that,” Prime Minister Modi said.
The government plans to use the Universal Immunization Program (UIP), which was introduced in India in 1978 to cover all districts in a phased manner, to distribute the vaccine.
Some candidate vaccines being tested across the country include Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN and Zydus Cadila’s drug. Covishield is another vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which is being tested by the Serum Institute of India.
During his speech to the UNGA, Prime Minister Modi also made a stronger pitch so far for a more prominent role for India in the UN Security Council, asking the global body: “How long do we have to wait? How long will India be kept away from the UN decision-making process? “
India has recorded more than 5.8 million COVID-19 cases, second only to the United States. The death toll in India as of this week was over 90,000 and it has consistently reported the highest count of daily cases worldwide.
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