US lawmakers urge Joe Biden for more action to help India

Call on US government to send more vaccines and medical assistance

Several US lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to ensure that India receives enough Covid-19 vaccines and medical aid, saying the health crisis in the country is “devastating” and America has a responsibility to help its close allies defeat the pandemic.

The American lawmakers called on the US government to send more vaccines and medical assistance to India after President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that the US will allocate 75 per cent - nearly 1.9 crore of the first tranche of 2.5 crore doses - of unused Covid-19 vaccines from its stockpile to countries in South and Southeast Asia as well as Africa by the end of June.

Biden said the US will share the vaccine to many countries to fight the pandemic through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing programme as part of his administration’s framework for sharing 80 million (8 crore) vaccines globally.

“The crisis in India is devastating and demands more action from (President Joe) Biden. More Covid-19 vaccines and medical supplies are needed to help one of our most important global allies fight this virus,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said.

In a tweet, the Republican governor urged US citizens to join him in praying for India. Republican Senator Ted Cruz said that almost 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the US.

“India is a critical friend of the US. Biden’s vaccine sharing programme is flawed: We should prioritise our allies such as India, and make sure it receives the Covid-19 vaccines they desperately need,” he said.

Senator Roger Wicker from the Senate Armed Services Committee said that it is important for the US to continue helping other nations beat the coronavirus. “Sending excess vaccines to close allies like India doesn’t just make sense, it is the right thing to do,” he said.

‘G7 must help vaccinate world’s poorest’

Over 200 world leaders, including former presidents, prime ministers and ministers have backed a campaign urging the G7 rich nations to help vaccinate the world’s poorest against Covid-19 by paying two-thirds of an estimated $ 66 bn required. A letter, seen by the Guardian newspaper ahead of the G7 summit, warns the G7 leaders to make 2021 ‘a turning point in global cooperation’ because fewer than 2 % people in sub-Saharan Africa are vaccinated. 

Also Read: Covid-19: Mumbai witnesses chaos on Day 1 of unlock

China dismisses Trump’s demand

China on Monday rejected former US president Donald Trump’s demand to pay $ 10 trillion as reparations to America and the world for the death and destruction caused by Covid-19, saying the accountability lies with politicians who ignored people’s lives and health. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told media in Beijing that during Trump’s tenure there were more than 24 million (2.4 crore) Covid-19 cases and the death toll exceeded more than 410 ,000. “Trump repeatedly ignored facts and tried to shirk his responsibilities of failing to respond to the epidemic and tried to divert people’s attention,” Wang said. “We believe the American people have a fair judgement as to who should be held accountable. It is those hypocritical politicians who ignored people’s lives and health should be held accountable,” he said.

38,62,17
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

17,26,30,637
Total no. of cases worldwide

37,18,683
Total no. of deaths worldwide

Source: WHO/Johns Hopkins

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