CENTRE WILL NOT IMPORT VACCINE, LEAVES IT TO STATES

The central government has decided to leave the import of Covid-19 vaccines to state authorities and companies, two government officials told Reuters, a decision that may slow acquisitions of shots as a second wave of the pandemic rips through the country.

They said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government would instead aim to support domestic vaccine makers by guaranteeing purchases from them. The government this month paid Indian producers in advance, for the first time, for vaccine doses.

Under fire for his uneven handling of the world’s worst Covid-19 surge, Modi has opened vaccinations for all adults from next month but supplies are already running short. After cases began soaring this month, Modi’s government urged Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to seek permission to sell their shots in India, and he relaxed rules for them.

But the sources said New Delhi was now leaving it to India’s states and firms to sign deals with foreign drugmakers while it buys half the output of Indian producers — the Serum Institute, now manufacturing the Anglo-british Astrazeneca vaccine, and Bharat Biotech, the maker of a home-grown shot.

The country’s new coronavirus caseload hit a record daily peak for a fifth day on Monday as countries including Britain, Germany and the United States pledged to send urgent medical aid to help tackle the crisis overwhelming its hospitals.’

“The situation is desperate,” one of the government officials told Reuters . He added that India would allow import of vaccines by local partners of drug companies but the federal government “won’t buy”. The second government official said: “I don’t think the government will be buying foreign vaccines.”

Both officials have direct knowledge of the matter but declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The ministries of external affairs, health and commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment.