India’s COVID vaccination lesson to the world: Bill Gates after meeting Mandaviya

Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates has praised India’s COVID-19 management and vaccination drive, stating that the country’s use of technology to drive health outcomes at scale is a lesson for the world.

Gates had met Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at Davos earlier this week, photos of which the latter had shared on Twitter.

“A pleasure to interact with @BillGates at #WEF22. He appreciated India’s success in #COVID19 management & mammoth vaccination efforts,” Mandaviya had tweeted.

The minister said that he and Gates discussed a wide range of subjects related to healthcare during the meet, including the promotion of digital health, disease control management, creation of mRNA regional hubs, and strengthening the development of affordable and quality diagnostics and medical devices among others.

In his reply to Mandaviya’s tweet, the US billionaire heaped praises on India’s COVID management and vaccination drive.

“It was great to meet Dr@mansukhmandviya and exchange perspectives on global health. India’s success with the vaccination drive and the use of technology to drive health outcomes at scale offers many lessons for the world,” he tweeted.

The government has ensured the complete vaccination of around 88 per cent of adults against the coronavirus, since it flagged off its mega inoculation drive in January last year.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is involved in India’s healthcare sector since 2003, works in the fields of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition; sanitation, and gender equality in India.