{"id":2352,"date":"2021-02-08T13:13:48","date_gmt":"2021-02-08T13:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hamslivenews.com\/?p=2352"},"modified":"2021-02-08T13:34:23","modified_gmt":"2021-02-08T13:34:23","slug":"india-becomes-first-country-in-the-world-to-donate-covishield-jabs-to-afghanistan-shipping-500000-doses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hamslive.com\/news\/2021\/02\/india-becomes-first-country-in-the-world-to-donate-covishield-jabs-to-afghanistan-shipping-500000-doses\/","title":{"rendered":"India becomes first country in the world to donate Covishield jabs to Afghanistan shipping 5,00,000 doses"},"content":{"rendered":"

India becomes the first nation to donate antivirus COVID-19 jabs to Afghanistan.\u00a0 Next week, Afghanistan will roll out 500,000 doses of Covishield provided by New Delhi.<\/h2>\n

Indian pharma company Bharat Biotech produced the vaccine, called the Covishield jab, the local name for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK.\u00a0 The Covishield jabs will be rolled out after receiving certification from the World Health Organization.<\/p>\n

The vaccine will be provided on a priority basis to government employees, security force members, teachers, as reported by a Health Ministry representative.<\/p>\n

Former Afghani government adviser Torek Farhadi told Arab News: \u201cNew 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.\u201d\u00a0 He added, \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Local officials in Kabul said, \u201cIndia 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maharashtra: COVID-19 vaccines being sent to Afghanistan by a Mumbai-Delhi-Kabul Air India flight; visuals from Mumbai airport.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The Health Ministry spokesperson Dastargir Nazari told Arab News, \u201cFortunately, we are going to receive 500,000 doses of the vaccine today,\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is part of our joint efforts to tackle the pandemic\u201d Tahir Qadery, minister-counselor for Afghanistan (Charge d\u2019Affaires) in India, told Arab News.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Nazari said the Chinese Embassy in Kabul had also pledged to offer 200,000 doses to Afghanistan and that more details were expected after \u201cboth sides discussed the matter further.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preferring anonymity for obvious reasons, someone mentioned said that China has also promised to \u201cgive vaccines to Taliban insurgents for use in areas under their control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Torek Farhadi, an adviser for the former Afghani government, told Arab News: \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Afghanistan has been in a tough battle against the escalating pandemic.\u00a0 On Sunday, Afghanistan\u2019s COVID-19 stats stood at 55,359 with 2,413 total deaths reported.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Afghanistan is heavily dependent on foreign aid during this time.\u00a0 The vaccine has come at a timely hour.<\/p>\n

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