Afghanistan receives 468,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from India

Afghanistan on Monday received 468,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine 'Covishield' from the Serum Institute of India (SII). 

In a tweet, Afghanistan envoy to India Farid Mamundzay said, "468,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine, from the Astra Zeneca Serum Institute of India arrived yesterday at HKI airport. Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health was there to receive the shipment and expressed gratitude on behalf of Afghanistan. Vaccines help us save lives and prevent transmission."

The cumulative count of COVID-19 cases in Afghanistan has reached 55,876. As many as 2,451 people have lost their lives due to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University. Under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, India has been providing coronavirus vaccines to its neighbouring countries.

Twenty-five nations across the world have already received Made in India vaccines and 49 more countries will be supplied in the coming days, ranging from Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean to Africa, South-East Asia, and the Pacific Islands.