WHO's emergency use authorization to Covaxin expected soon: MoS Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar

NEW DELHI: The Hyderabad-based drug manufacturer Bharat Biotech is expected to get the emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the World Health Organisation for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin soon.

This was announced by the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Health, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar on Friday. “WHO's emergency use authorization to Covaxin is expected soon,” Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, MoS, Health, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

WHO's emergency use authorization to Covaxin is expected soon, says Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, MoS, Health pic.twitter.com/RU3TxSaEwf — ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2021

It has emerged that the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) is expected to meet at the WHO on October 5 during which they will discuss the issue of granting the EUA to Covaxin.

The SAGE is tasked with advising the WHO on overall global policies and strategies, ranging from vaccines and technology, research and development, to delivery of immunization and its linkages with other health interventions.

The global health agency had earlier sought clarification on the data submitted by the Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer. The October 5 meeting has been called by SAGE after Bharat Biotech provided all the required data to the WHO.

In a related development, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech International Ltd, Krishna Ella, has said that the firm’s Covaxin production would touch 55 million doses in October as against 35 million in September.

“We are supplying 35 million this month. Next month we will be definitely supplying 55 million doses. Production at Bangalore is catching up very fast," he said.

Bharat Biotech has also entered into an arrangement with Indian Immunologiclas and Hester Biosciences for manufacturing Covaxin. Ella also informed that if the Centre permits, the firm is ready to export the jab, though the firm is not in a hurry to look for overseas markets. 

India will resume export of surplus Covid-19 vaccines in the fourth quarter of 2021 under the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme and to meet its commitment to the COVAX global pool, but vaccinating its own citizens remains the topmost priority of the government, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said.