The UK has accused India of creating a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine acrossBritain by delaying the scheduled supply of AstraZeneca-Oxford’sCoronavirus vaccine doses for April.
While explaining the reasons behind the anticipated vaccine shortage acrossBritain, Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, alleged that the Indian governmenthas deliberately withheld AstraZeneca-Oxford’s vaccine exports to the UK.——————————
The delivery of around 5 million doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford’s vaccine hasbeen delayed by the Indian government on the pretext of a need to retestthe vaccine doses, Hancock briefed the MPs in the House of Commons.
AstraZeneca, the UK-based pharmaceutical company, had outsourced thelarge-scale manufacturing of its COVID-19 vaccine to Serum Institute ofIndia (SII), the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer.
Serum Institute of India had claimed that it was producing more than 50million doses per month to meet the global demand for AstraZeneca’sCOVID-19 vaccine.——————————
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On the other hand, CEO SII, Adar Poonawalla, has revealed that the delay inscheduled deliveries of AstraZeneca-Oxford’s vaccine has been caused by theorders of the Indian government.
The Indian government has directed SII to prioritize the massive vaccinerequirements of India before rolling out doses for the UK and the rest ofthe world, said CEO SII.
