The coronavirus pandemic has suddenly turned India into a Covid vaccine importer from a mass exporter, proving it can change the course of everything on its track.
India has reported over two lakh Covid cases for the second day in a row, becoming the second country in the world to report such a high case surge in a single-day figure. On January 8, the US-registered over three lakh cases.
India crossed the two lakh mark for the first time on Thursday and Friday, registering as many as 2,17,353 new cases and 1,185 deaths in 24 hours, taking the national case count and fatalities to 15,69,743 and 1,74,308, respectively.
Facing an acute shortage of jabs, India — which has gifted and sold millions of Covid shots to neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, and Africa through the World Health Organisation’s COVAX initiative to date, is now turning to foreign vaccine producers.
The first foreign consignment of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine will arrive in India this month-end. A domestic pharma giant, Dr Reddy’s will supply the imported Sputnik vaccine doses in the domestic market.
In fact, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the world’s largest Covid inoculation program on January 16. Two ‘Made in India’ jabs, one developed by the Serum Institute in collaboration with AstraZeneca, and the other by Bharat Biotech, are being given.
India has so far provided 11,72,23,509 vaccine jabs to its citizens, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
However, the vaccine shortage is such that the Indian Health Ministry said Thursday that the country’s Drug Controller would process the Covid jab import license in three working days flat for post-emergency-use approval.
”Applications for restricted use in emergency situations for such vaccines may be accompanied by bridging trial protocol, application for an import registration certificate, and application for an import license,” the Ministry said in a statement.
“Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) will process applications for a registration certificate and import license” it added.
India’s vaccine shortage may also hit inoculation programs in poorer economies as WHO depends on supplies from this country.
India has exported nearly 65 million doses to foreign countries to date.
