India delays COVID-19 vaccine supplies to WHO-backed COVAX
image for illustrative purpose
India has delayed committing supplies of vaccine to the COVAX global sharing platform, according to sources , a day after one of its key backers, the WHO, said the agency could not "cut corners" to approve a domestically developed vaccine.
The world's biggest vaccine maker resumed exports of COVID-19 doses this month for the first time since April. It has sent about 4 million to countries such as neighbouring Bangladesh and Iran, but none to COVAX.
On Monday, in the run-up to an October 26 meeting on Covaxin, India's first domestically developed COIVD-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it could not "cut corners" in the approval decision.
One of the sources said it was "frustrating" that India had yet to confirm any supply to COVAX, despite a promise last month by the health minister to meet the commitment to COVAX and others during the quarter to December.
The sources, who have been briefed on the export talks, declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak on the subject.
