Myanmar to get 1.5 million Covishield vaccines on Friday

Myanmar is next in line to receive Covid-19 vaccines from India, which has already sent shipments to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal over the last two days, with 1.5 million doses of Covishield vaccines set to reach Yangon on January 22, according to a source.

India also provided a training course in administering Covid vaccine to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Bahrain, Brazil, Mauritius, Morocco, Oman, Seychelles and Sri Lanka, the source tracking the matter told BuinessLine.

Training programme

“In December 2020, a high level health delegation from Myanmar visited India and met with their counterparts to seek cooperation in the field of vaccine delivery, training on clinical trials, and other areas of research & development in the health sector. Both sides are also in discussion on holding clinical trials of Indian vaccines in Myanmar,” the source said

New Delhi sent 1,50,000 doses of Covishield vaccines to Bhutan and Maldives each on Tuesday and 1 million and 2 million doses respectively to Nepal and Bangladesh the following day. Covishield vaccines are manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

The training provided by India on January 19-20 to neighbouring countries and some others for administering covid vaccine included setting up sites and conducting Covid vaccination, vaccine logistics and cold chain management, safe injection practices & waste management, managing adverse events following immunisation, monitoring and supervision, advocacy, social mobilisation, media and crisis management, the source said.

India rolled out the world’s largest Covid-19 immunisation drive on January 16 and around 9.9 lakh health workers have been administered the vaccine so far.

Other countries waiting to get vaccines from India include Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Afghanistan and Mauritius.