Antony Sguazzin, Bloomberg News
(Bloomberg) South Africaâs hope of securing an order of 1.4 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine designed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford from an Indian company may have been thwarted by a ban on exports imposed by the Asian countryâs government, Business Day reported, citing unidentified people.
Until Monday South Africa was confident it had secured the order from the Serum Institute of India Ltd., which is making the vaccine under license, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said. Talks are now being held directly with Indiaâs government, two people familiar with the situation said, according to the newspaper.
As major countries like the U.S. and China race to vaccinate their populations with rapidly approved shots, tens of millions of doses prepared for India are sitting in storage despite having been authorized for use. While distribution in other nations started soon after approval with pricing deals signed ahead of time, New Delhi and Serum Institute of India Ltd. the world’s biggest vaccine maker by volume and AstraZeneca Plc’s local partner have engaged in months of haggling behind closed doors and are yet to sign a formal supply agreement. That has left at least 70 million vaccine doses in limbo despite the urgent need in a country facing the world’s second-largest outbreak.
The health ministry is prepared to roll out the Covid vaccine within 10 days of the emergency use authorisation, which was granted to two companies on January 3. Aadhar verification too will be a part of the online vaccine delivery platform Co-Win. After engaging in a war of words, the chiefs of two of India s leading vaccine makers Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) called a truce on Tuesday and pledged to work together for a “smooth roll-out” of Covid-19 vaccines. Tens of millions of doses prepared for India are sitting in storage despite having been authorized for use.While distribution in other nations started soon after approval with pricing deals signed ahead of time, New Delhi and Serum Institute of India Ltd. the world s biggest vaccine maker by volume and AstraZeneca Plc s local partner have engaged in months of haggling behind closed doors and are yet to sign a formal supply agreement. That has left at least 70 million vaccine doses in limbo