Moscow: Russia has announced plans to expand its vaccine supplies to Latin American countries, focusing on diversifying the range of vaccines available. This development was revealed by Aleksandr Schetinin, the director of the Latin American department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, during a meeting with Latin American and Caribbean ambassadors in Moscow.

According to Lao News Agency, Schetinin highlighted that over the past decades, more than 26 million doses of flu vaccines have been supplied to numerous countries in the region. He further elaborated on Russia’s efforts to broaden its vaccine offerings, which include new vaccines for influenza and those aimed at preventing and treating coronavirus, tuberculosis, and dengue fever.

The senior official also reflected on Russia’s proactive role during the Covid-19 epidemic, noting that it was one of the first countries to provide Latin America with test kits and vaccines, sometimes free of charge. This assistance was crucial in countering the “vaccination selfishness” observed in other states, Schetinin remarked. He emphasized that Russian vaccine supplies not only helped stabilize the socio-epidemiological situation in several Latin American countries but also alleviated internal political tensions.

Additionally, Deputy Health Minister Sergey Glag³lev affirmed Russia’s readiness to supply various vaccines against infectious diseases, including monkeypox, to other nations.