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NEW YORK: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised at the United Nations on Saturday (September 26) that his country’s vaccine production capacity would be available globally to combat the COVID-19 crisis.
“As the world’s largest vaccine-producing country, I want to give one more assurance to the global community today,” Modi said in a prerecorded speech to the United States General Assembly.
“India’s vaccine production and distribution capacity will be used to help all of humanity fight this crisis.”
He added: “India will also help all countries to improve their cold chain and storage capacities for the delivery of vaccines.”
Modi said India was moving ahead 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 delivery of vaccines.
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Modi said in August that India was ready to mass-produce COVID-19 vaccines when scientists gave the go-ahead.
UN chief Antonio Guterres has been pushing for a “popular vaccine” that is available and affordable everywhere and expressed concern on Tuesday that some countries “are supposedly making side deals exclusively for their own populations.”
“Such ‘vaccinationism’ is not only unfair, it is counterproductive. None of us are safe until we are all safe. Everyone knows it,” he told the General Assembly.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the General Assembly on Friday: “Whoever finds the vaccine must share it.”
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“Some might see a short-term advantage, or even a profit,” Morrison said. “But I assure anyone who thinks along those lines, humanity will have a very long memory and will be a very, very severe judge.
“Australia’s promise is clear: if we find the vaccine, we will share it. That is the promise that we all must make,” Morrison said.
Pope Francis told the United Nations on Friday that the poorest and weakest members of society should receive preferential treatment when a coronavirus vaccine is ready.
READ: The poor should get the COVID-19 vaccine first, says Pope Francis
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India, the second most populous country in the world after China, has recorded more than 5.8 million cases of COVID-19, second only to the United States.
His death toll as of this week was over 90,000 and he has consistently reported the highest daily case count worldwide, as a dense population and often rudimentary health care infrastructure hamper attempts to control the pandemic.
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