India to share Covid-19 vaccine, drugs with ASEAN

Saying that India believes the search for effective pharmaceutical interventions for Covid-19 is a continuous and collaborative effort, Muraleedharan said, "We look forward for an enhanced cooperation and collaboration between ASEAN countries on vaccine and drug development even as we are ready to share Covid vaccine with them, whenever it is made available "

The Minister was addressing the 6th India-CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) business conclave organised by industry chamber CII here at the weekend.

The assurance follows Indonesia urging India to mitigate the adverse effects lingering pandemic.

President Joko Widowdo at the ASEAN-India Summit last month said that India as ASEAN's strategic partner can serve in strengthening medical capacity in the region, particularly to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, including increasing the production capacity of COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, raw materials for the production of medicines, and conducting joint research and development in the health sector.

Days before Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had made a similar assurance to immediate neighbour Nepal.

Muraleedharan reminded the audience at business meet about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that India would contribute USD 1 million to ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund.

Over the months, India has played a key role in keeping open the global supply chains for essential medicines and deploying Medical Assistance Teams comprising doctors, nurses and paramedics during this crisis to several countries.

"I would like to highlight our Covid-related cooperation here to CLMV countries. India has provided medicine and medical supplies to Lao PDR and Myanmar. Further, as a capacity building measure, Medical officers from Armed forces of CLMV countries participated in an e-ITEC Defence Medical Course on Covid-19 organised from July 6-9, 2020."