For decades, India has established itself as one of the world’s leading manufacturers and exporters of medicines and vaccines, thanks mainly to the Serum Institute, a company with the capacity to produce billions of doses of medicines against all kinds of diseases every anus. In his hands was the hope of flooding the world with covid vaccines. But the virus has forced a change in plans: India has stopped vaccine exports to focus on its population, given the skyrocketing increase in cases.
The decision to reduce supplies to other countries came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered everyone over the age of 45 to be included in the state vaccination program, administration sources told Bloomberg. So far, the country has exported or donated more than 60 million injections as part of so-called “vaccine diplomacy.” A number greater than local punctures: it has only given 53.15 million doses to Indians, and only 8.29 million people have the full regimen, 0.6% of its billion-dollar population.
India’s infections have experienced a rapid rebound over the past month. On Thursday, the Health Ministry reported a daily increase of more than 53,000 new infections, levels not seen since October. With almost 11.8 million cases in total, India trails only the US and Brazil in the list of countries hardest hit by the pandemic.
The country had set a goal of immunizing 300 million frontline and healthcare workers by August, but has struggled to meet its plans. In March, it expanded its criteria to include people over 60 and people over 45 with comorbidities. Starting April 1, that list will include everyone over the age of 45.
The world’s largest vaccine exporter last shipped vaccines abroad on March 18, data from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs shows. The Ministry promised that the suspension of exports can be reviewed in one or two months and assured that they will fulfill commercial contracts even if it is at a slower pace.
The cut in shipments could affect the vaccination plans of many other states. For example, the UK is bracing for a supply shortage of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which it imported largely from India, where it is made by the Serum Institute. A situation that is complicated by the need to review a batch and by .
Damage to the Covax Initiative
Although a greater effect at the global level could have a slowdown in the Covax initiative, backed by the World Health Organization, which buys vaccines for poor and middle-income countries. His management reported that it was experiencing “teething problems” and its main suppliers, AstraZeneca and Serum Institute, are unable to keep up with orders, Bruce Aylward, a senior WHO official, said Monday.
Serum spokesmen declined to comment, though company director Adar Poonawalla told Bloomberg in an interview broadcast last week that the Indian government had requested more vaccines than initially expected.
India is expected to send 1.2 million doses of vaccines to neighboring Bangladesh during Prime Minister Modi’s visit last Friday. The decision to ship those vaccines was made before New Delhi decided to speed up domestic immunizations, according to administration sources.
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