Donating 2,000 doses to Grenada
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE promised doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccine from India have arrived in St. Kitts and Nevis from which 2,000 of them will be provided to the Government and people of Grenada.
In presenting the doses to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, India’s High Commissioner accredited to the Federation, Dr. KJ Srinivasa told reporters that the doses would assist health officials to meet the immediate requirements of vaccinating healthcare workers, frontline workers and those with co-morbidities.
In the latest shipment to arrive in the region from the Asian nation, the Federation received 20,000 of the 175,000 doses that were sent to the region from the COVISHIELD.
According to the High Commissioner, Antigua & Barbuda received 40,000, St. Lucia 25,000 and St. Vincent & the Grenadines 40,000 also benefited from the latest donation.
India promised the region approximately 575,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccine as part of its ‘Vaccine Diplomacy’.
Dr. Srinivasa explained that by delivering COVID Vaccines within days of its rollout, India has once again demonstrated its willingness and ability to act as a “First Responder to crises in the world, including in St. Kitts and Nevis”.
“We believe that this is just the beginning...The gifting of the vaccines to St. Kitts and Nevis honours Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to using India’s Vaccine production and delivery capacity for helping all of humanity in fighting the dreaded disease,” he added.
In underscoring the partnership, the High Commissioner noted that today’s (Mar. 1) donation marks an important milestone for the country’s bilateral relationship.
“India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi always says that India follows the dictum...and we need to take care of each other. And what better way than to use India’s capacities and capabilities as the pharmacy of the world, and the world's largest vaccine manufacturer,” noted Dr. Srinivasa.
He also reminded that the Federation and other CARICOM member states would have and would continue to benefit from pharmaceutical and monetary assistance from the Government of India to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, of the 20,000 doses that were received, the Government has pledged to donate 10 percent of that number to the people of Grenada.
Minister Akilah Byron-Nisbett told SKNVibes News that Grenada did not receive any under the shipment that arrived on Friday, but OCES member states that received pledged to provide doses to that territory.
