Kamala Harris speaks to PM Modi, shares US’ vaccine-sharing plan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday had a telephonic conversation with US Vice President Kamala Harris wherein she talked about America’s plan to share the first tranche of 25 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to India and other countries.

Harris also called President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico, President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala, and Prime Minister Keith Rowley, Chairman of the Caribbean Community. Besides India, these countries, among others, will receive the vaccine supplies under the US’ “Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing”.

“The Vice President reiterated that the Administration’s efforts are focused on achieving broad global coverage, responding to surges and other urgent situations and public health needs, and helping as many countries as possible who requested vaccines,” Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson Symone Sanders said in a statement on Thursday on Harris’ telephonic calls with foreign leaders.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said that he spoke with Harris and deeply appreciated the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing. “Spoke to @VP Kamala Harris a short while ago. I deeply appreciate the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing. I also thanked her for all the support and solidarity from the US government, businesses and Indian diaspora,” he tweeted.

“We also discussed ongoing efforts to further strengthen India-US vaccine cooperation, and the potential of our partnership to contribute to post-Covid global health and economic recovery,” PM Modi said in another tweet.

According to America’s global vaccine strategy, the US plans to send the first tranche of 25 million doses globally. Out of which, approximately 7 million vaccine doses will be supplied to Asian countries including India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Sanders said that the US Vice President notified “each of the leaders that the Biden-Harris Administration will begin sharing the first 25 million doses of Covid vaccines to their respective countries and others, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s framework for sharing at least 80 million vaccines globally by the end of June”. Harris also reiterated that the US Administration’s efforts are focused on achieving broad global coverage, responding to surges and other urgent situations and public health needs, and helping as many countries as possible who requested vaccines, according to the statement. WITH AGENCY INPUTS