Following a phone call between NSA Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, and his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan, America has decided to export raw material required by Indian vaccine makers and to station a team of experts to help India course over the second deadlier wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United States on Sunday identified sources of specific raw material urgently required by Pune-based Serum Institute of India to produce the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine – Covishield. This raw material will be made ready to India instantly, said a top official in the US government.
A declaration regarding this was distributed by Emily Horne, spokesperson of the US National Security Council (NSC). Horne confirmed the same when asked about a phone call between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan.
Emily Horne said, “To help treat COVID-19 patients and protect front-line health workers in India, the United States has identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available for India.”
SII CEO Adar Poonawalla over the last month has sent out numerous tweets to US President Joe Biden, asking him to allow the export of raw material required for the production of COVID-19 vaccines to India. While the USA initially indicated their priorities were for America first, they now state they are resolute to help India in its time of crisis.
During his phone call with NSA Ajit Doval, Jake Sullivan asserted America’s unanimity with India and recalling the battles the two countries have fought together against polio, smallpox, and HIV.
“Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need,” said a statement by the US NSC.
The statement declared that the United States is seeking options to provide India with oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis. An expert team of public health advisors from the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) and US Aid are being deployed to work in close coordination with the US Embassy in Delhi and India’s health ministry and Epidemic Intelligence Service staff.
“The US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is funding a substantial expansion of manufacturing capability for BioE, the vaccine manufacturer in India, enabling BioE to ramp up to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022,” said the statement by the US National Security Council.
The US classified sources of specific raw material urgently required by Pune-based Serum Institute of India to produce the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine – Covishield. This raw material will be made available to India immediately, said a top official in the US government.
A statement in this regard was issued by Emily Horne, spokesperson of the US National Security Council (NSC). Horne confirmed the same when asked about a phone call between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan.
“To help treat COVID-19 patients and protect front-line health workers in India, the United States has identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available for India,” said Emily Horne.
After the initial disappointment when the USA declined to give the raw materials, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had urged the Biden administration to release millions of AstraZeneca vaccines to India and Brazil, drastically hit by COVID-19. It was apparent several other American leaders raised their voices to help India. This endeavor strengthens India as the globe is wonderfully uniting when all join hands to fight COVID.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “Our hearts go out to Indian people in the midst of the horrific COVID outbreak. We’re working closely with our partners in the Indian govt, and we’ll rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India & India’s healthcare heroes.”
Our hearts go out to Indian people in the midst of the horrific COVID outbreak. We're working closely with our partners in the Indian govt, and we'll rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India & India's healthcare heroes: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pic.twitter.com/VVCSshTwyN
— ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2021