The US on Sunday said that it will make available raw materials required by India for Covishield vaccine immediately.
Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor of the US, had a call with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
“The United States had identified sources of specific raw material urgently required by the Indian manufacturer of the Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available for India,” an official statement released post the call between the two officials stated.
“To help treat Covid-19 patients and protect frontline health workers in India, the US has identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available to India,” the statement added.
The US is also pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies to India urgently. “The US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is funding substantial expansion of manufacturing capability for BioE, the vaccine manufacturer in India, enabling BioE to ramp up to produce at least one billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of 2022. Additionally, the US is deploying an expert team of public health advisors from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and USAID to work in close collaboration with the US Embassy, India’s Health Ministries and India’s Epidemic Intelligence Service staff,” the statement added.
USAID will also work with CDC to support and fast-track the mobilisation of emergency resources available to India through the Global Fund, it added.
“The two National Security Advisors agreed that the US and India would stay in close touch in the coming days,” the statement added.