Under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "One Earth One Health" and belief "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam," India supplied 'Made in India' Covid vaccines to 42 countries of the Africa continent, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. Addressing the inaugural address at the 18th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave, Jaishankar said, "During the pandemic, India continued unabated its engagement with Africa. The 15th and 16th editions of the CII-Exim Bank Africa Conclave were actually held, though they were held virtually. To support our friends in Africa, India provided medical support to 32 countries." "From January 2021 till March 2023 we supplied 'Made in India' Covid vaccines to 42 countries of the continent. This was in line with our Prime Minister's vision of "One Earth One Health" and our civilizational belief in "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam". We are now encouraging Indian pharma manufacturers and vaccine manufacturers to explore joint manufacturing facilities in African countries. Equally important, we have battled in the WTO along with our African partners for enhancing the accessibility and affordability of vaccines," he added, according to the statement released by MEA. He also talked about virtual education and medical services. Jaishankar informed that India launched e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti network in 2019 for tele-education and tele-medicine. Under this initiative, over 14,000 youth from 22 African countries have enrolled for various degrees and diploma courses. India has partnered with African countries in promoting digital transformation through the setting up of IT Centres, S&T Parks Entrepreneur Development Centres (EDC), etc. Where the digital domain is concerned, India's emphasis on trust and transparency makes it a natural partner for Africa. On the trade and economic front, India and Africa's bilateral trade reached USD 98 billion in 2022-23. "On the trade and economic front, India's bilateral trade with Africa has reached US$ 98 billion in 2022-23 compared to USD 89.6 billion of the previous year. I am confident that our bilateral trade will soon cross the USD 100 billion mark," Jaishankar said. "Through the Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme that extends duty-free access to 98.2 per cent of India's total tariff lines, India opened its market to African countries, and so far 33 LDC African nations are entitled to get the benefit," he added. The minister hoped that African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) which commenced in 2021 will be helpful for Indian companies to enhance their business footprint in Africa. With cumulative investments at USD 73.9 billion from 1996-2021, India is among the top five large investors in Africa, Jaishankar said adding that he is sure this will grow in the times to come.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused lockdowns and major health care disruptions, leading to millions of children missing out on life-saving routine vaccines. Getting back on track will be a challenging task, the agency warned. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a decline in public perception of routine childhood vaccines with nearly 67 million children missing out on one or more potentially life-saving vaccines, according to a UNICEF report titled The State of the World's Children 2023. "More than a decade of hard-earned gains in routine childhood immunization have been eroded," the report said, adding that the data indicates a worrying trend of rising vaccine hesitancy amidst political polarization, dwindling trust in governments, and misinformation. The largest sustained decline in childhood immunization in a generation was observed during COVID-19 disruptions, with 67 million children missing at least one immunization. Despite increasing outbreaks, attempts to catch up have so far been unsuccessful, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) report highlighted. Victim of the pandemic The decline in vaccine confidence comes after more than a decade of gains in routine childhood immunization, and getting back on track will be a challenging task, the agency warned. "We cannot allow confidence in routine immunizations to become another victim of the pandemic," Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, said in a statement. "Otherwise, the next wave of deaths could be of more children with measles, diphtheria or other preventable diseases." The report also raises concerns about a drop in vaccine confidence in 52 out of 55 countries surveyed. While calling confidence in vaccines "volatile and time-specific," the report highlights that vaccine confidence can easily shift, noting that "further analysis will be required to determine if the findings are indicative of a longer-term trend" beyond the pandemic. Vaccine confidence varies globally Overall, support for vaccines "remains relatively strong." In about half of the 55 countries surveyed, more than 80% of respondents "perceived vaccines as important for children." The report also points out that vaccine confidence varies globally, with countries like India, China, and Mexico experiencing no significant decline. In contrast, countries like Papua New Guinea and South Korea saw a decline in vaccine agreement by 44% and over a third in Ghana, Senegal, and Japan. UNICEF has called on governments to double down on their commitment to increase financing for immunization, with special attention on accelerating "catch-up" vaccination efforts for those who missed their shots. Cases of measles increasing The report stresses that vaccine confidence is crucial in maintaining routine childhood immunization and saving lives. Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, the disease was responsible for claiming the lives of around 2.6 million individuals annually, with the majority of victims being children. However, as of 2021, that number had decreased to 128,000. Unfortunately, between 2019 and 2021, the proportion of children receiving the measles vaccine plummeted from 86% to 81%, and in 2022, the number of cases doubled compared to the preceding year.

The US government donated another 1.5 million (15 lakh) pediatric doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines to Bangladesh via COVAX to expand vaccination coverage to protect children ages 5-11 for the very first time. This delivery marks the second shipment of US donated vaccines for young children this week and brings the total number of all US vaccine donations to over 75 million (7.5 crore) doses, a press release of US embassy said today.   More than two-thirds of all international COVID-19 vaccine donations to Bangladesh have come from the United States and the American people, it added.   The United States continues to work closely with Bangladesh to support every facet of the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign.  This includes training to over 51,000 healthcare providers and other workers on safely administering vaccines to support Bangladesh's COVID-19 vaccination roll out across 64 districts. The United States has also donated 18 freezer vans, 750 freezer units, and 8,000 vaccine carriers and helped transport 57 million doses of vaccines to remote areas - for direct administration of 47 million vaccinations. In Bangladesh, the United States has contributed more than $140 million in COVID-19 related development and humanitarian assistance. Globally, the United States has donated $4 billion to support the COVAX effort, which includes support for ultra-cold chain storage, transportation, and safe handling of COVID-19 vaccines, making the United States the world's largest donor for equitable global COVID-19 vaccine access. AH

The World Trade Organization has concluded a string of landmark deals, including agreements to improve food security and boost coronavirus vaccine production in the developing world. Ministers at World Trade Organization talks struck a bundle of deals, including one on measures to reform the 27-year-old global trade body itself. WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the trade ministers had agreed to an unprecedented package of deliverables that would make a real difference in people’s lives. The WTO has heralded the deal as showing a new sense of cooperation at a time of multiple crises, including the war in Ukraine and the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. Not in a long while has the WTO seen such a significant number of multilateral outcomes, said Okonjo-Iweala, who has held the role for 15 months. The outcomes demonstrate that the WTO is in fact capable of responding to emergencies of our time. Agreement on sustainable fishing The conference’s flagship issue was the fisheries deal, and this was the last one that ministers were able to get across the line. It was the culmination of negotiations to ban subsidies that encourage overfishing, which have been ongoing at the WTO since 2001. The text, aimed at making the planet fish stocks more sustainable, was watered down compared to the original. However, Okonjo-Iweala insisted it was better to reach an agreement rather than continue negotiations for years to come. COVID vaccine waiver  A second major issue on the table was an agreement to waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines, allowing developing countries to produce and export them. That agreement was also diluted as a compromise to certain countries such as the UK and Switzerland, which host big pharmaceutical sectors. Okonjo-Iweala said the compromise would contribute to ongoing efforts to concentrate and diversify vaccine manufacturing capacity so that a crisis in one region does not leave others cut off. However, medical advocacy group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) called the deal a devastating global failure for people’s health worldwide. The group said it along with some 150 other civil society organizations had urged the ministers not to accept the current text and demand an effective and meaningful one instead. The main concern was that the current agreement did not apply to all medical tools, including treatment and testing. MSF also says that even the waiver on vaccines barely expands an existing exemption. What else was discussed? Delegates agreed to an approach for implementing urgent reforms on the way the WTO works, although the declaration was lacking in detail. It stressed the importance of supporting the participation of developing nations in international trade, and of giving special consideration to their needs. The meeting also agreed to lift export restrictions that have impacted on the UN’s World Food Program. The mission is seeking to curb the impact of rising food prices and fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine, particularly when it comes to shipments of wheat. In addition, ministers reached a deal to extend a moratorium on imposing customs duties on e-commerce transactions. Who is Okonjo-Iweala? Okonjo-Iweala, who took over the role in March 2021, is a former foreign and finance minister of Nigeria. She has positioned herself as someone who can get business done. I prefer to talk less and do more, she said Friday. The last ministerial conference was in Buenos Aires in December 2017. It was largely seen as a failure after no heavyweight deals were agreed upon. The talks in Geneva home to the WTO began on Sunday and had been scheduled to finish on Wednesday. Instead, the ministers completed two straight nights of talks finally agreeing the package at 5 a.m. (0300 GMT/UTC) on Friday. The 164-member WTO was formed in 1995 to establish, revise and review the rules that govern international trade. It accounts for some 98% of global trade.

The global trade watchdog WTO has debated through the night as it struggles to secure various deals. One country in particular has thrown a wrench in the negotiations. Ministers from 164 member states of the World Trade Organization negotiated in Geneva overnight to Thursday on deals on food security, fishing and fighting COVID-19 as an afternoon deadline loomed. It is the first conference in nearly five years for the organization, whose members represent 98% of global trade and global GDP. An extra fifth day of negotiations was added in a bid to break a deadlock. What is being discussed? The issues at stake have included how to curb fishing subsidies, introducing a temporary waiver on COVID-19 vaccine patents and agreements on food security. Also under discussion were topics connected with agriculture, e-commerce, the WTO’s general response to pandemics, and reforms to the organization itself. A Geneva trade official told reporters that concessions were traded past dawn in a bid to secure deals. They’re looking at a broad package: what can be achieved, trade-offs in different areas, the official said. The negotiations come as Russian Interfax news agency cited a deputy foreign minister as saying that Moscow was not considering leaving the body, despite tensions over its invasion of Ukraine. Why is it difficult? The problem on reaching agreement is that all 164 members must all agree for new global trade rules to be passed. That means that just one member can block deals. This time round, India has been blocking negotiations by insisting on maintaining subsidies for fisheries and agriculture, and pushing for extra concessions. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Twitter that India is strongly representing its perspective at the WTO to protect the future of every Indian and that of the marginalized. The negotiation situation at the WTO has drawn criticism from trade experts. The ministerial [conference] laid bare the increasing dysfunction that inhibits collective action at the WTO, said Jake Colvin, president of the National Foreign Trade Council. However, WTO officials have been more upbeat about the possibility of reaching deals, saying that negotiations often seem fruitless until the very last minute. The WTO, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, was established in 1948 and is the world’s largest international economic organization. In recent years, it has faced criticism for being too unwieldy to cope with growing global challenges.

        Calling out the West, India on Wednesday said that food grains should not go the way of the Covid-19 vaccines as it voiced concern over hoarding and discrimination amid the “unjustified increase” in food prices. It stressed that its decision to restrict wheat exports will ensure it can truly respond to those most in need. “A number of low income societies are today confronted with the twin challenges of rising costs and difficulty in access to food grains. Even those like India, who have adequate stocks, have seen an unjustified increase in food prices. It is clear that hoarding and speculation is at work. We cannot allow this to pass unchallenged,” Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said Wednesday. Muraleedharan was speaking at the ministerial meeting on ‘Global Food Security Call to Action' chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken under the US Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of May.   The meeting came just days after India's last Friday decision to ban wheat exports in a bid to check high prices amid shortage of wheat due to scorching heat wave. The decision is aimed at controlling the retail prices of wheat and wheat flour -- which have risen by an average 14-20 per cent in the last one year -- and meet the foodgrain requirement of neighbouring and vulnerable countries. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had in the last week notification said that wheat exports will be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the central government. At the high-level meeting, India spoke about the issue of the wheat export ban for the first time in the UN since its May 13 announcement. Muraleedharan said the Indian government has recognised the sudden spike in global prices of wheat which put “our food security and those of our neighbours and other vulnerable countries at risk.” “We are committed to ensuring that such adverse impact on food security is effectively mitigated and the vulnerable cushioned against sudden changes in the global market. "In order to manage our own overall food security and support the needs of neighbouring and other vulnerable developing countries, we have announced some measures regarding wheat exports on 13 May 2022,” he said. “Let me make it clear that these measures allow for export on the basis of approvals to those countries which are required to meet their food security demands. This will be done on the request from the concerned governments. Such a policy will ensure that we will truly respond to those who are most in need,” he said. The minister emphasised that India will play its due role in advancing global food security “and it will do so in a manner in which it upholds equity, display compassion, and promotes social justice." India called out the West and cautioned that the issue of food grains should not go the way of Covid-19 vaccines, which were purchased by the rich nations in quantities excess of what they needed, leaving the poor and less developed nations scrambling to administer even the initial doses to their people. “It is necessary for all of us to adequately appreciate the importance of equity, affordability and accessibility when it comes to food grains. “We have already seen to our great cost how these principles were disregarded in the case of Covid-19 vaccines. Open markets must not become an argument to perpetuate inequity and promote discrimination,” Muraleedharan said, making a strong statement. Ahead of Washington's signature events on food security, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said “We have seen the report of India's decision. We're encouraging countries not to restrict exports because we think any restrictions on exports will exacerbate the food shortages. But you've – again, India will be one of the countries participating in our meeting at the Security Council, and we hope that they can, as they hear the concerns being raised by other countries, that they would reconsider that position.” Muraleedharan highlighted India's “track record” of helping its partners in distress, saying that even in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts, India has never been found wanting. “We have provided food aid in the form of thousands of metric tonnes of wheat, rice, pulses, and lentils to several countries, including our neighbourhood and Africa, to strengthen their food security,” he said, adding that in view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, India is donating 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to its people. India has continued its humanitarian support for Myanmar, including a grant of 10,000 tons of rice and wheat, he said. “We are also assisting Sri Lanka including with food assistance, during these difficult times.” “In keeping with our ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', (the world is one family) and our ‘Neighbourhood First' policy, we will continue to assist our neighbours, in their hour of need, and stand by them, always,” he said. India underlined that the global impact of Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts, including in Ukraine, has impacted lives of ordinary people adversely, particularly in the developing countries, with spiralling energy and commodity prices and disruptions in global logistical supply chains.   Source: The Economic Times

India on Tuesday handed over to Cambodia 325,000 doses of Made in India Covishield vaccines under the Quad Vaccine Partnership scheme. Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Devyani Khobragade, along with representatives from the embassies of Australia, Japan and US to Cambodia, jointly handed over a consignment of 325,000 doses of Made in India Covishield vaccines to the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. The vaccines have been gifted by India as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to donate 500,000 doses of Covid vaccines to the Indo-Pacific under the Quad vaccine initiative. The Quad Vaccine Partnership was announced by the Quad Leaders at their first Summit on 12 March 2021. It aims to leverage Quad's collective strength to ensure the global availability of safe and effective vaccines by expanding manufacturing and assisting countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination. Quad countries agreed to provide over 1.2 billion doses of Covid vaccines globally under this initiative.   Quad countries have collectively so far provided Cambodia with close to five million Covid vaccine doses bilaterally and through COVAX, added the release. Quad countries have also provided last-mile delivery assistance to ensure that vaccines are translated into vaccinations. Australia and Japan have provided cold storage equipment, freezers and temperature monitors along with equipment for the safety of health care workers. The US has provided assistance with surveillance and contact tracing, case investigation, training health care workers and data management. The Cambodian government has conveyed its appreciation for the vaccines received from Quad through India and for its collective assistance to Cambodia. Quad countries have assured Cambodia about their desire to extend all possible support to combat the pandemic. Hun Sen recalled India's key contribution to the reconstruction and development of Cambodia and encouraged further enhancement of the relations and cooperation between both nations. While presiding over the official handover ceremony of 325,000 doses of Covishield vaccine from India to Cambodia under the Quad Vaccine Partnership, Hun Sen expressed his gratitude to India, a compassionate friend of Cambodia, reported Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP). "Whilst the spread of COVID-19 has subsided, and we have very well managed the COVID-19 situation, I would like to encourage the further strengthening of friendship, promotion of cooperation and strengthening of relations between Cambodia and the members of the Quad Initiative, especially between Cambodia-India in terms of trade, investment, information technology, relaxation of travel requirements and connection through direct flights, and development of tourism," underlined Hun Sen.   Source: ANI

Covid-19 vaccines and boosters continued to have very high efficacy against severe outcomes during the Omicron wave of the virus, a large real-world study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed Friday. The paper evaluated data from more than 300,000 visits to emergency departments, urgent care clinics, and hospitalizations across 10 states from August 26, 2021 to January 5, 2022. During the period when the Delta variant was dominant, vaccine efficacy against Covid-19 hospitalization was 90 percent between 14-179 days after dose two of a vaccine, fell to 81 percent more than 180 days after the second dose, and rose to 94 percent 14 days or more after dose three. After Omicron became dominant, the vaccine efficacy estimate against hospitalization between 14-179 days after dose two was 81 percent, 57 percent after more than 180 days from dose two, and 90 percent 14 or more days after dose three. A second CDC paper, based on data from 25 US state and local jurisdictions, found that vaccine efficacy against infection waned from 93 percent prior to Delta to around 80 percent when Delta became dominant, but protection against death remained stable and high at 94 percent. Vaccine efficacy against infection fell to 68 percent by the time Omicron emerged. The authors weren't able to derive an estimate for vaccine efficacy against death during Omicron, because of a lag in reporting, but the broad scientific expectation is that it will remain very high. The paper also showed that while deaths among fully vaccinated people rose sharply during the Delta wave -- totaling more than 20,000 people between July to November -- unvaccinated people were still 16 times more likely to die during the same period. Protection was even greater for people who were boosted. Between October to November, unvaccinated people were around 50 times more likely to die from Covid than people who were vaccinated and boosted. Source: AFP/BSS AH

India gave emergency use authorization (EUA) for Merck's Covid-19 pill molnupiravir, and Serum Institute of India's Covovax and Biological E's Corbevax coronavirus vaccines, the country's health minister said on Twitter. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that Molnupiravir will be manufactured in India by 13 companies for restricted use under emergency situation for treatment of adult patients with Covid-19. To manufacture and supply molnupiravir in India, this year, drugmakers Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals and some others signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with Merck. The US FDA issued an EUA to molnupiravir for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease in adults. Expert committee under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization recommended allowing EUA for molnupiravir, Covovax and Corbevax, media reports earlier in the day said this. India is working on ramping up oxygen supplies and strengthening health infrastructure to contain a possible surge of Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant. The country has administered 1.43 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses so far, with more than 839 million of all adults having received at least one dose. India plans to start administering Covid-19 booster shots as a precautionary measure to healthcare and frontline workers from January 10 and will begin vaccinating those aged 15-18 from January 3. India needs to double down on its vaccine campaign and some states have imposed night curfews and other restriction as a precaution in the run up to New Year festivities to prevent a spike in infections and a repeat of summer 2021 when a devastating second wave of infections left tens of thousands dead, medical experts said this.   Source: Khaleejtimes.com

India could resume deliveries of COVID-19 shots to global vaccine-sharing platform Covax in a few weeks for the first time since April, two health industry sources said, ending a suspension of supplies that has hurt poor countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO), which co-leads Covax, has been urging India to restart supplies for the programme, especially after it sent about 4 million doses to its neighbours and partners in October. Based on an informal approval from India, Covax officials have started planning allocations of the Covishield shot for various countries, said one of the sources, both of whom declining to be identified pending a final agreement. Covishield is a licensed version of the AstraZeneca shot made by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s biggest vaccine maker. SII has nearly quadrupled its output of Covishield to up to 240 million doses a month since April, when India stopped all exports in order to inoculate its own people during a surge of cases. “There will need to be purchase orders confirmed to SII, labelling and packing, export authorisation granted for each of these shipments,” said the source. “So the first deliveries, assuming the Indian government grants export authorisation, won’t happen until a few weeks from now.” SII, the health ministry and the WHO did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The ministry said in a statement earlier in the day that Indian states had more than 159 million unutilised doses of various vaccines, as inoculations have slowed after 79% of the country’s 944 million adults got one dose and 37% got two doses. SII CEO Adar Poonawalla told Reuters last month that the company could send 20 million to 30 million doses a month to COVAX in November and December, which would increase to “large volumes” from January once India’s own needs were met. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday that COVAX had the money and the contracts to buy vaccines for low-income countries but “manufacturers have not played their part”. Covax in September cut its 2021 delivery target by nearly 30% to 1.425 billion doses. Source: Gulf News