NEW DELHI, Jan 20: India’s “vaccine friendship” with the neighbouring countries began on Wednesday with the first shipment of “Covishield” dispatched to Bhutan and the Maldives with more to follow.
The external affairs ministry sources said further shipments by India would be made for Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles in the coming days.
The Oxford university-AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine being manufactured under license by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), was transported by road from Pune to Bombay airport from where the vial packets were airlifted by SpiceJet flight to Bagdogra airport in West Bengal.
As per the original schedule the vaccine boxes were supposed to go from Bagdogra to Paro, Bhutan, on a Pawan Hans helicopter which was supposed to come from Gangtok, Sikkim. However, “due to heavy rainfall in Gangtok, the helicopter could not take off. Finally, with a go-ahead from MEA, the vaccines were ferried on Indian Air Force aircraft,” a senior official of the Bagdogra airport said.
“First consignment takes off for Bhutan! India begins supply of Covid vaccines to its neighbouring and key partner countries,” wrote Anurag Srivastava, ministry of external affairs spokesperson, on Twitter as a SpiceJet aircraft left for Bhutan on Wednesday.
Srivastava also confirmed flight movement to Maldives. The vaccines were sent to the two countries under the “Vaccine Maitri” initiative.
“India is deeply honoured to be a long-trusted partner in meeting the healthcare needs of the global community. Supplies of Covid vaccines to several countries will commence tomorrow, and more will follow in the days ahead,” the prime minister Narendra Modi had tweeted on Tuesday night.
(Manas Dasgupta)