|
 The agreement was struck in March when leaders of the United States,
Australia, Japan and India - the so-called "Quad" countries - met
during a virtual summit.
The United States had said it would work via its International
Development Finance Corp (DFC) to finance Biological E.'s efforts to
produce at least 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses for India and
developing countries by the end of 2022.
"Scaling Biological E.'s new facility, which is already producing
vaccines, will help close the vaccine gap and save lives in
developing countries," DFC chief operating officer David Marchick
said in an emailed statement.
Inequity in the administration and distribution of COVID-19 shots
has been highlighted by many experts and bodies such as the World
Health Organisation.
[to top of second column] |
 For example, only about 5% of Africa's
population is immunised, compared with more than
70% in most wealthy nations.
India, home to the world's largest vaccine maker
Serum Institute, is expected to play a vital
role in supplying COVID-19 shots to lower- to
middle-income countries. The South Asian nation
this month resumed vaccine exports for the first
time since April.
(Reporting by Anuron Kumar Mitra in Bengaluru;
Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content |
