Propaganda against Vaccine Maitri is misguided, says senior govt official

New Delhi [India], April 8 (ANI): India has so far provided COVID-19 vaccines to 83 countries and the total number of vaccines exported has reached 6.45 crore, a senior government official said on Thursday.
He said of the total vaccines supplied abroad, only 1.05 crore have been sent as grants while 3.58 crore have been sent as commercial supplies. An additional 1.82 crore have been given to the COVAX facility.
"Of the 1.05 crore vaccines given as grants, around 75 per cent vaccines have been given to our neighbouring countries," he said.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) in-charge of the Foreign Affairs Department and scientist Vijay Chauthaiwale added that one should also look at the grants in terms of holistic pandemic management rather than plain inward-looking rhetoric.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had told Rajya Sabha last month that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative, under which India has supplied COVID-19 vaccines to over 70 nations, has raised the country's standing and generated great international goodwill.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also said that it is "ridiculous to debate needs and wants" and that "every Indian deserves the chance to a safe life".
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had said on Wednesday that vaccination has to be prioritised so long as the supply of vaccines remains limited.
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