• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Nigeria’s hope ruined as India prioritises vaccinating citizens

COVID-19 vaccine

Nigeria’s hope to receive free doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for its over 200 million population has been ruined as India prioritises vaccination its citizens over exports.

Read Also: COVAX facility adds 1.1bn doses to portfolio in new deal with Novavax

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the main supplier of the COVAX facility, says it may not resume the export of vaccine doses till the end of 2021.

Read Also: Covid-19: Why Nigeria won’t receive initial COVAX vaccine supply

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s biggest vaccine maker producing the AstraZeneca have said that it hopes to start delivering coronavirus vaccine doses to COVAX and to other countries by the end of the year, a delay that will significantly set back global efforts to immunise people against COVID-19.

“SII has delivered more than 200 million doses,” the Serum Institute said Tuesday in a statement posted to its Twitter account. The company said that in the past few days, there had been “intense discussion” on the decision of the Indian government and vaccine manufacturers about the possible export of vaccines.

“We continue to scale up and prioritise India,” the company said. “We also hope to start delivering to COVAX and other countries by the end of the year.”

Nigeria is currently a beneficiary of the United Nations-led COVAX facility as the AstraZeneca vaccine doses currently being distributed in the country are sourced from the SII.

Also, three Indian government sources, who spoke to Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to media on the subject, said India’s vaccination drive will now take priority over exports as its tally of coronavirus infections crossed 25 million and daily death toll hit a record high.

“We don’t have to officially convey to all countries as we are not obligated to do,” one of the sources said about the decision to hold back exports. “It was internally discussed and some countries were asked not to expect export commitments given the current Indian situation.”

Battling the world’s biggest jump in coronavirus infections, India halted vaccine exports a month ago after donating or selling more than 66 million doses. The move has left countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and many in Africa scrambling for alternate supplies.

Recall in February 2021, COVAX had announced the donation of 16 million doses to Nigeria, although the country is currently distributing the 3.9 million doses supplied in March for the first phase of vaccination.

Africa’s biggest economy is also exploring other options outside India, with 29 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine expected through the African Union.