Barbados PM writes to PM Modi, thanks India for Covid-19 vaccine doses

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Barbados PM has asked access to 200,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine being manufactured in India

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has expressed her gratitude to the Indian government and the people for "most generous" donation of COVID-19 vaccine doses.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, Mottley said: "I trust that you are well and safe. On behalf of my Government and people, I wish to express gratitude to you, your Government and the people of the Republic of India for its most generous donation of the Covishield vaccines (under the auspices of Oxford Astrazeneca)."

Last month, Mottley wrote to Prime Minister Modi, requesting for access to vaccines to provide immunisation coverage for the island nation.

Recently, Barbados media reported that the country will be receiving 1,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from India.

Barbados, which as a population of over 2.87 lakhs, has recorded 1,641 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,274 persons have recovered.

Mottley said that the country's health ministry has confirmed that the Covishield vaccine has been approved for use in Barbados and will be administered in accordance with the manufacturers' guidelines.

"The Minister of Health and Wellness and the Chief Medical Officer both have confirmed that the vaccine has been approved for use in Barbados and will be administered in accordance with the manufacturers' guidelines. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration," the letter read.

The first supply of 50,000 vaccines, comprising 100,000 doses, from India will be targeted towards frontline workers, police and security forces, essential services, hotel workers, supermarket employees as well as the elderly, Loop Cayman reported on Wednesday.