Bill Gates praises India: 'Success with Covid vaccine drive offers lessons to world'

New Delhi, May 29: Days after meeting India's Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Saturday praised India's Covid-19 vaccination drive. They had an interaction at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland's Davos on Wednesday.

Gates said, "It was great to meet Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya 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." On May 25, Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya shared photos with Bill Gates and wrote, "A pleasure to interact with @Billgates at #WEF22. He appreciated India's success in #Covid19 management and mammoth vaccination efforts."

Mandaviya further wrote, "We discussed a wide range of subjects relating to healthcare including the promotion of digital health, disease control management, creation of mRNA regional hubs, and strengthening the development of affordable and quality diagnostics & medical devices, etc."

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started on February 2 last year. India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 193.26 Crore (1,93,26,76,918) on Friday.