It is well known that India is one of the largest bulk producers of drugs/vaccines in the world. Currently many countries are contending to get their first vaccine shipment from India.
In this regard, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro insisted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the shipment of AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine as a likely delay to the vaccine’s arrival in Brazil appears impending, according to a letter on Friday.
Bolsonaro’s letter, disclosed by his press office, comes during mounting pressure to ramp up the vaccine launch with an aim to eradicate the growing pandemic situation arised from novel Corona virus. Critics stated, the immunization drive is running behind regional peers, and demanded Brazilian government as to why it has not accelerated the process.
“To enable the immediate implementation of our National Immunization Program, I would appreciate … the supply to Brazil, with the possible urgency and without jeopardising the Indian vaccination program, of 2 million doses,” Bolsonaro typed in the letter, shared by his press office.
The federally funded Fiocruz biomedical center stated on Friday that the active ingredients required to fill and complete millions of doses of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine in Brazil, may not land until the end of the month, which was scheduled to reach on Saturday.
It is learnt that the active ingredient needs an approval from China for the export license, where it is manufactured. Wherein, finished active dose is dispatched from India.