Paraguay recently confirmed that it is in the process of cancelling its purchase agreement with Bharat Biotech International Limited for 1 million Covaxin doses over quality control issues. This news comes after a statement from World Health Organization (WHO) that highlighted deficiencies with the company’s good manufacturing practices and suspended supply of Covaxin.
The statement from WHO was published on April 2 where the regulatory body said that it had conducted inspection of of the Bharat Biotech’s manufacturing facilities from March 14 to 22, and found them lacking in many aspects. Considering, WHO suspended of supply of Covaxin through UN procurement agencies. The body also advised other countries to take appropriate action regarding this.
Paraguay Health Minister Julio Borba, while speaking to ABC news channel, confirmed that they had initiated cancelling of acquisition agreement for Covaxin from Bharat Biotech. Borba said that since they had ‘some problems’ they had decided to close the agreement.
Although Borba did not elaborate on the issues, sources said that while shipping the vaccines Bharat Biotech did not include temperature sensors and so Paraguay’s authorities decided that the doses could not be used.
