India Ensured Medicine Supply To 123 Nations Amid Covid Pandemic: Health Minister

Dr Harsh Vardhan said India has also been active in global efforts to develop "diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines" to tackle COVID-19 infection.

India ensured supply of medicines to 123 partner countries despite its own needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and has also been active in global efforts to develop "diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines" to tackle the infection, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday. He was speaking during a virtual interaction with the health ministers of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation was also present in the meeting. Reiterating that India shall always strive for the "health of all", Dr Vardhan said, "Despite its own needs, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we ensured supply of medicines to 123 partner countries, including 59 NAM nations. India has also been active in global efforts to develop diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for COVID-19 because we know and understand that no one is safe until everyone is safe." He said India has adopted transformative strategies and fast-tracked many initiatives aimed at all the core tenets of Universal Health Coverage like strengthening health systems, including primary healthcare, improving access to free drugs and diagnostics, and reducing catastrophic healthcare spending.