|
 SII, the world's biggest vaccine maker, sought the funds to increase
its monthly capacity to more than 100 million doses by the end of
May, from up to 70 million currently.
The country has administered more than 112 million doses of the shot
so far, the highest in the world, despite concerns about some people
overseas developing blood clots after receiving the vaccine.
The Indian government is in fact struggling to meet demand for the
drug from many states as infections spread rapidly.
"We are clear that we will give whatever support is necessary to
develop and boost the availability of vaccines in the country," the
source said on Sunday, declining to be identified as he was not
authorised to speak publicly on the matter.
[to top of second column] |
 A finance ministry spokesman
declined to comment. SII, which will soon also
start making the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, did
not respond to a request for comment.
India has so far injected 123 million vaccine
doses, including nearly 11 million of a
domestically developed shot known as Covaxin.
The government is also trying to boost output of
Covaxin and has also changed rules to fast-track
imports of vaccines developed by Pfizer, Moderna
and Johnson and Johnson.
($1 = 74.8600 Indian rupees)
(Reporting by Aftab Ahmed; Additional reporting
by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Nick Macfie and
Jan Harvey)
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