India doing its best to provide COVID-19 vaccine, say ambassadors of Paraguay, Costa Rica

By Shailesh Yadav
New Delhi [India], March 17 (ANI): Ambassadors of Paraguay and Costa Rica have hailed India's initiative to supply vaccines to other countries as part of efforts to fight the COVID-19 crisis and said they were looking forward to getting India-made vaccines.
They said India's efforts show its solidarity with the world in the fight against coronavirus.
The ambassadors also expressed their keenness on getting supply of Covaxin, the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR.
Talking to ANI on the sidelines of India-Americas Day, an International week organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Fleming Duarte, Paraguay's Ambassador to India, said that the world is coping with the second wave of the COVID-19 virus and India is very important.
"India is a supplier of vaccines to the world, vaccine diplomacy of India is working very well. We are also requesting facilities in India to supply us a good quantity of doses, although it's very difficult. India is doing its best to provide these vaccines," he said.
Duarte said that Paraguay had requested India for one million doses of vaccines.
"We are going to get some doses of vaccine from India. It will be very crucial for our frontline workers like medics, doctors, nurses, police besides educators, and elders. I have been to Hyderabad to talk with the export sales executives of Bharat Biotech. We are working very hard to get the vaccine for our frontline workers like nurses, doctors, police, educators, and the elders."
Claudio Ansorena, Ambassador of Costa Rica told ANI that India has done "a great job in terms of showing the world that it has the capacity to not only produce but also to supply other countries".
He said Costa Rica would also like to seek COVID-19 vaccines from India.
"I also understand that the supply of vaccines is very restricted. We would buy some Bharat Biotech's Covaxin if possible. Our request is placed with the foreign affairs ministry. We hope that India will consider our request. India is also conducting a vaccination drive. So if there is a surplus vaccine then we will get it. We are hopeful that we will get the vaccine from India in three-four months.
He said Costa Rica has a population of 5 million and as two doses are required, the country requires 10 million doses. "We have bought some Pfizer vaccines and started vaccination since January. Ten per cent of our population is already vaccinated," he said. (ANI)