New Delhi: India has supplied over 723 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 94 countries and two UN entities since the start of the Vaccine Maitri Programme in January this year, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

India supplied COVID-19-related medical and other assistance to over 150 countries since the beginning of the pandemic, minister of state for health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

She said, "Since the start of Vaccine Maitri Programme in January 2021, India has supplied 723.435 lakh doses of Covid vaccine to 94 countries and 2 UN entities in the form of grant, commercial export or through COVAX till November 29, 2021."

In the fight against the pandemic during the second wave, support in the form of COVID-19-related equipment and medicines were received from more than 50 countries. These included supplies from foreign governments, private companies, Indian associations abroad, etc, Pawar stated.

In reply to a separate question on the government's response to the call for helping low-income countries, Pawar said the COVAX facility co-led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has maintained that no effort should be spared to substantially increase vaccine supply for lower-income countries and has called all countries that are well-supplied with COVID-19 vaccines to donate doses to COVAX and on manufacturers to prioritise supplies to COVAX.

The Government of India has so far already supplied 222.56 lakh of COVID-19 vaccine doses to COVAX, she stated.

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