St Vincent and the Grenadines receives 40,000 doses of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccine

St Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday received 40,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from India under the Vaccine Maitri initiative.

A plane carrying the consignment of vaccine doses landed at the international airport at around 12 noon after distributing the vaccines to Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia, reported WIC News.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonzalez personally reached the airport to receive the consignment. This Caribbean nation has reported over 1,550 COVID-19 cases and eight deaths.

India has sent the Oxford Astra-Zeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India to five Caribbean nations. There are a total of 175,000 jabs of the Covishield vaccine to help countries to tackle the global pandemic.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said in a tweet, "Keeping our CARICOM commitment. Made in India vaccines arrive at Antigua for Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines and Suriname."

Caribbean leaders extolled Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching an exemplary initiative to help other nations get stronger during the global health crisis.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Alfonso Browne on Monday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for demonstrating an "act of benevolence, kindness and empathy" by sending 175,000 AstraZeneca vaccines to the Caribbean countries.

"Today several Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, received 175,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from India. Of the 175,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, 40,000 were donated to the people of Antigua and Barbuda. For this, we are extremely grateful. PM Narendra Modi has demonstrated perhaps the most significant act of benevolence, kindness and empathy that was seen in recent times compared to any act of any other leader globally," Browne said, hours after Made-in-India coronavirus vaccines reached Antigua for Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines and Suriname.

( With inputs from ANI )