Mission COVID Suraksha: What it is?

On 12th November 2020, Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Under this mission, Rs. 900 crores are allocated by the Government of India to the research & development of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. The fund is only for research and development and does not cover the cost and distribution of the vaccines.

Key Facts

• Mission COVID Suraksha is a part of the stimulus package which was launched on 12th November 2020 worth Rs 2.65 lakh crores.
• The finance minister announced many other measures of economic stimulus along with the mission.
• Atma Nirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana was also launched with an aim to boost employment in the nation during COVID-19 recovery phase.

India and COVID Vaccines

• At present three COVID vaccines are in trial in India, COVAXIN, ZyCov-D and COVISHIELD vaccine.
• The Indian Council of Medical Research jointly with Bharat Biotech is developing COVAXIN.
• Oxford University collaboratively with Serum Institute of Technology
  is developing COVISHIELD.
• Zydus Cadila is developing ZyCov-D.
• All the above-mentioned three vaccines are presently under trials in India.

Apart from these three vaccines, the Russian Vaccine Sputnik V is also under trials in the country.

COVID-19 Vaccines: India Bilateral Agreements

• India and Myanmar signed agreements in October 2020 to collaboratively produce and supply COVID-19 vaccines, as a part of Act East Policy of India.
• Bangladesh in November 2020 signed a deal with Serum Institute of India to purchase 30 million doses of COVID19 vaccines.

Wrap Up

India has also seen a wave of COVID-19 cases like other countries. Even after putting up lockdown for a period of time the cases are again on a rise as people have got relaxations. Also, South Africa along with India has proposed relaxing certain provisions of Intellectual Property Agreements for containing COVID-19 pandemic at WTO (World Trade Organization), which is backed by the World Health Organization (WHO).