Travellers queue for Covid tests at Johannesburg airport on November 27, 2021, after several countries banned flights from South Africa following the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant
Multiple other countries reported new cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant over the weekend. In photo: travellers queue for Covid tests at Johannesburg airport on November 27, 2021, after several countries banned flights from South Africa following the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant.

India has reached out to African nations with medical aid as the Omicron COVID-19 variant is set to wreak havoc on several African nations.

The Omicron variant, first reported in southern African nations --- Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe -- has forced several countries to ban flights from these eight nations.

India's ministry of external affairs in a Nov. 29 statement said, "The Government of India stands ready to support the countries affected in Africa in dealing with the Omicron variant, including by supplies of Made-in-India vaccines."

The statement added that the requirement "will be considered expeditiously."

India will provide these nations with test kits, life-saving drugs, PPE kits, and medical equipment such as ventilators besides supplying made-in-India vaccines either through the UN's COVAX system or bilaterally.

The Omicron variant, which has been designated a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to displace the highly contagious Delta variant, Adrian Puren, acting executive director of South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases, told Reuters in an interview Nov. 30.

More than 30 countries have closed their borders and others have imposed stricter measures to arrest the spread of the Omicron variant.

Experts have warned that Africa is set to face the third wave of the pandemic. To add salt to the wound, of the 50 million doses of vaccine received by Africa so far only 31 million jabs had been administered. Moreover, the WHO had said that only 15 African nations have achieved the target of vaccinating 10 percent of their citizens by September-end.

Africa has reported more than 8.66 million cases of pandemic infections and 222,276 as of Nov. 22 and South Africa leads the pack with 89,584 casualties followed by Tunisia with 25,347 deaths.

According to reports, only 7 percent of the population in Africa has been vaccinated compared with the European Union which has around 62 percent of its population fully vaccinated.

In India, the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered has now surpassed 1.24 billion. More than 72 lakh doses were administered Nov. 30, according to the federal ministry of health and family welfare.

The COVAX vaccine sharing program was aimed at addressing vaccine inequality, but it has woefully failed in its mission.

India's decision to offer vaccines and other medical aid to Africa has been touted as a welcome move. India has long maintained excellent relations with several African nations. Unlike China, the largest investor in Africa, India is concentrating on development aid and building institutions, and Indian aid is regarded as a much more benign influence.

So far, India has provided more than 25 million doses of made-in-India vaccines, including nearly 1 million doses as grant and more than 16 million doses through COVAX facility, to 41 African nations.

India had temporarily stopped the export of the vaccine after the country faced a deadly second wave of the pandemic a few months ago.

After a seven-month hiatus, India started the export of COVID 19 vaccines under its 'Vaccine Maitri' program in the beginning of November.

Under the scheme, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Morocco, South Africa, Afghanistan, Mexico, DR Congo, Nigeria and the United Kingdom have received vaccines from India.