7.5 Million Moderna Vaccine Doses Offered to India Through COVAX: WHO

NITI Aayog Member (health) VK Paul had said the availability of doses will be subject to an indemnity waiver.

Image of Moderna COVID vaccine doses used for representation purposes.

(Photo: iStock)

Speaking to news agency ANI, South-East Asia's regional director of the World Health Organisation Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh on Monday, 20 July said that India has been offered 7.5 million doses of Moderna vaccine through the global health body’s Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) programme.

NITI Aayog Member (health) VK Paul on Friday had said that deliberations with COVID-19 manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer were "ongoing" and the availability of doses would be subject to an indemnity waiver.

"We are in touch with them. We are holding discussions. It is a process of negotiation and dialogues. We are trying to get a solution on contractual and commitments issues. This process is ongoing," Dr Paul stated, ANI reported.

He added, "...to and fro (talks) are going on over the contractual specifics. Discussions have not yet concluded. We are making efforts as to it happens at the earliest. We are now expecting to hear from them anytime. Currently, they have to respond to some of the points we have made and we will take it forward," ANI reported.

Sources has said that the Indian government has stated conditions regarding the indemnity clause contract and is awaiting Moderna's review, India Today reported.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission to Mumbai-based pharmaceutical firm Cipla to import Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in India last month.

(With inputs from ANI and India Today)