Global leaders hail India’s scientific innovation, decisive action to combat COVID-19

NEW YORK: Global leaders have lauded India’s leadership in scientific innovation and decisive action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, as the country gets set to begin the world’s largest vaccination drive against the novel coronavirus.

The Drug Controller General of India on Sunday approved the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

“It’s great to see India’s leadership in scientific innovation and vaccine manufacturing capability as the world works to end the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said in a tweet on Monday, tagging the Prime Minister’s Office.

Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that India “continues to take decisive action & demonstrate its resolve to end #COVID19 pandemic”.

“As the world’s…