Published in: The Daily Star
Date: 23 June, 2021

With India being battered by the second wave of Covid-19 since February and an acute supply crunch of vaccine needed to cater to domestic requirement, Indian officials repeatedly made it clear that there is no ban on export of the made-in-India jabs but the sole focus was on meeting the need of its own people.

However, with the availability of vaccines at home gradually picking up through ramped-up production of Covishield by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech, there is speculation if India would resume the supply of vaccines to other countries, especially in its South Asian neighbourhood, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come under overwhelming criticism at home when India struggled with vaccines in the midst of the devastating second wave.

The crux of the criticism was that a large part of the shortfall in vaccine supply in March-April could have been easily met had India not exported 66 million doses of vaccines to around 150 countries since January when the domestic jab drive was launched.

As a result, Vaccine Maitri was halted in April and India began focusing on ramping up domestic production and arranging import of vaccines.

It was suggested by some analysts in April that India should not have sent the vaccines to so many countries but should have addressed the vaccine needs of only its neighbours, reports the New Delhi correspondent.

As the second wave in India is on the wane, a revival of Vaccine Maitri now critically depends on the volume of domestic production of vaccines. Bharat Biotech is already in the process of two additional facilities to manufacture Covaxin.

Health Ministry officials have more than once made it clear that domestic availability of vaccines is expected to significantly go up in July-August that could make it possible to channelize some quantities of those vaccines that have been bought by Bangladesh under commercial contracts but are pending.

An indication of the enhanced vaccine availability in domestic market was on display on June 21 and 22 when nearly 142 lakh doses were administered.

Officials said if the tempo of vaccination is maintained and stepped up in the coming weeks, it would help the country reach its target of vaccinating its entire urban population by December-end.

Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has repeatedly articulated India’s adherence to Vaccine Maitri policy by stating that no one is safe till everyone is safe. The time from July-August could see a calibrated resumption of Vaccine Maitri.

India’s Vaccine Maitri policy is going to be tampered with caution as public health experts have been warning of a third wave of Covid-19 by October.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/coronavirus-deadly-new-threat/news/no-ban-export-vaccine-india-domestic-supply-be-met-first-officials-2116753