India becomes the first nation to donate antivirus COVID-19 jabs to Afghanistan. Next week, Afghanistan will roll out 500,000 doses of Covishield provided by New Delhi.
Indian pharma company Bharat Biotech produced the vaccine, called the Covishield jab, the local name for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK. The Covishield jabs will be rolled out after receiving certification from the World Health Organization.
The vaccine will be provided on a priority basis to government employees, security force members, teachers, as reported by a Health Ministry representative.
Former Afghani government adviser Torek Farhadi told Arab News: “New Delhi has used COVID-19 vaccines as part of its soft power diplomacy by shipping some to friendly countries such as the Maldives a month ago, and now to Kabul.” He added, “It is much appreciated by the Afghans. China has promised vaccines to Taliban as well but India scores points with Kabul by being the first country to send vaccines to Afghanistan.”
Local officials in Kabul said, “India provided a vital boost to Afghanistan on Sunday by shipping 500,000 free doses of Covishield, a vaccine that protects from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection, to curb the spread of the virus in the war-torn country.”
Maharashtra: COVID-19 vaccines being sent to Afghanistan by a Mumbai-Delhi-Kabul Air India flight; visuals from Mumbai airport.
The Health Ministry spokesperson Dastargir Nazari told Arab News, “Fortunately, we are going to receive 500,000 doses of the vaccine today,”
Masooma Jafari, of the Health Ministry said that front-line healthcare workers would be prioritized for the vaccination drive, followed by schoolteachers, prisoners, security forces, and the elderly.
“This is part of our joint efforts to tackle the pandemic” Tahir Qadery, minister-counselor for Afghanistan (Charge d’Affaires) in India, told Arab News.
“The vaccines will enable us to be well prepared to move towards normalcy. Our Indian counterparts have assured us of more vaccines in the future. This is a great gesture of humanity, and we are deeply grateful,” he added.
Nazari said the Chinese Embassy in Kabul had also pledged to offer 200,000 doses to Afghanistan and that more details were expected after “both sides discussed the matter further.”
Preferring anonymity for obvious reasons, someone mentioned said that China has also promised to “give vaccines to Taliban insurgents for use in areas under their control.”
Torek Farhadi, an adviser for the former Afghani government, told Arab News: “It is much appreciated by the Afghans. China has promised vaccines to Taliban as well but India scores points with Kabul by being the first country to send vaccines to Afghanistan.”
Afghanistan has been in a tough battle against the escalating pandemic. On Sunday, Afghanistan’s COVID-19 stats stood at 55,359 with 2,413 total deaths reported. The nation is dealing too with the inappropriate management of funds during distributions, along with a weakened health infrastructure, social disturbances, financial breakdowns doubly impacted by the pandemic. Afghanistan is heavily dependent on foreign aid during this time. The vaccine has come at a timely hour.