The world’s largest vaccine-maker, Serum Institute, has promised millions of doses for India before summer 2021 as infections moved towards the 9.5-million mark. But health experts say the real challenges would be over storage, distribution and a possible risk the rich and powerful may try and corner the antidote.
India’s Serum Institute has partnered five global firms to produce one billion doses of vaccines, half of which it has pledged to India.
United States-based public health specialist, Asish Jha, said New Delhi must not allow the programme to be hijacked by a few.
There will be no chance of that, assured V. K. Paul of a national vaccine programme body which is trying to work through the complex task of vaccinating 1.3 billion Indians.
But Gagandeep Kang, a scientist, said India can do much more than just caring for its own people, thanks to its enormous vaccine manufacturing industry.
Indian drug-makers have begun ramping up capacity for production, storage and distribution that they may need very soon to give the world a helping hand.
