French envoy says India will have key role in production of COVID-19 vaccine

Emmanuel Lenain, French Ambassador has said that India will have an important role to play in the mass production of medicines and vaccines for coronavirus infection once the treatment for the deadly disease is found.

“It is very important for states to coordinate if we want the COVID-19 vaccine and/or medicines to be produced and distributed equitably worldwide. India will have an important role to play as a producer of medicines and vaccines,”  Lenain told PTI.

The French Ambassador’s comments came in the backdrop of efforts by a large number of countries as well as the 27-nation European Union to ensure equitable access to any vaccine or medicine for the treatment of coronavirus infection through their mass production under voluntary patenting.

The issue figured prominently at the recent two-day conference of the World Health Organisation where many countries pressed for making the vaccine available to all countries and not only to those who have deep pockets.

“France and India have supported the European resolution (at the WHO) for universal, timely and equitable access to all necessary products for countering the pandemic, and underscored the role of extensive immunisation against COVID-19 as a global public good,” he said.

India has already supplied 446 million hydroxychloroquine tablets and 1.54 billion paracetamol tablets to 133 countries, drawing praise from a number of global leaders.