Bill Gates lauds India's Covid-19 vaccination drive, says 'lesson to the world'

In a meeting at the World Economic Forum Summit 2022 with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandviya, Bill Gates appreciated India for its mammoth vaccination efforts against Covid-19.

Image credit: Twitter

New Delhi: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said on Saturday (May 28) appreciated India for its success in the vaccination drive against Covid-19 and said the use of technology by India to drive health outcome is a lesson for the world. Gate's statement came days after his meeting with union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the form of a reply on Twitter to latter's tweet.

Mansukh Mandaviya on May 25 shared a picture of him with Gates from a meeting at the World Economic Forum 2022 with the caption "A pleasure to interact with BillGates. He appreciated India's success in COVID-19 management and mammoth vaccination efforts."

A pleasure to interact with @BillGates at #WEF22.

He appreciated India's success in #COVID19 management & mammoth vaccination efforts. pic.twitter.com/ZO2mxrvbK1 — Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) May 25, 2022

Replying to the Union Minister's tweet days after the meet, Gates wrote, "It was great to meet Dr Mansukh Mandviya 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."

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.

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 28, 2022

Mandviya in another tweet said that they "discussed a wide range 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 and medical devices, etc."

India launched the world’s biggest vaccination drive against Covid in January last year. Since then, nearly 88 per cent of the adults have been fully vaccinated, the health minister said in an update on Saturday. The country has largely relied on the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and homegrown Covaxin for inoculation against the virus.