India’s surplus vaccine exports languish over logistics
INDIA is struggling to export its surplus of Covid-19 vaccines as logistical hurdles delay their use in many countries despite low levels of inoculation, vaccine producer, the Serum Institute of India (SII), and a government official said last Tuesday (14).
The SII, the world’s biggest vaccine maker that produces the AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sputnik Covid-19 shots, has already announced plans to temporarily halve output of the AstraZeneca drug until more orders came, including possibly through boosters.
“All over the world, there is enough supply, but it is getting the jabs in arms, which will take some time,” SII chief executive Adar Poonawalla told a virtual conference organised by the Confederation of India Industry.
“Certain countries have only vaccinated to the tune of 10 or 15 per cent of the population; they really need to go to 60-70 per cent. Demand is very much there, but it’s going to be spread out now that the supply has superseded the monthly demand.”
Top Indian health official Vinod Kumar Paul told the same event current global Covid-19 vaccine production was enough to reach the nearly 3.6 billion who have yet to receive a shot. “India is in a position to offer vaccines, but is there traction (for it)?” he asked. “The debate should be how do we accelerate the delivery, raise the capacity of absorption in many countries, particularly in the African continent.”
India’s vaccine demand was only about 252 million doses in the past month, against a domestic production capacity of more than 345 million a month.
The SII’s monthly output of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which it brands Covishield, has nearly quadrupled since April to 250 million doses. The shot dominates India’s immunisation programme but the company has no further orders from the government.