New Delhi:
India has received requests for the supply of Covid-19 vaccines from 22 countries so far these have already been supplied to 15 countries, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Friday.
Replying to queries during question hour in Lok Sabha, the minister said the vaccines have been supplied both as grant assistance and contract doses.
"We have received requests for vaccine supply from 22 nations so far. Out of these, supply has already been made to 15 nations as grant assistance as well as contract doses. As of February 2, a total of 56 lakh doses has been given as grant assistance and 105 lakh as contracts doses," the minister said.
The government has given emergency use authorisation to two vaccines– Covishield and Covaxin.
The minister gave the reply amid protest by opposition members over their demand for the repeal of three new farm laws.
Meanwhile,at least 80 countries including India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Thursday criticised the European Union for its recent decision of introducing export controls on Covid-19 vaccines.
The issue came up at a meeting on intellectual property rights at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in which the developed countries again refused to support a joint proposal by India and South Africa for a temporary waiver in global IPR rules to ensure uninterrupted flow of medicines, vaccines and medical equipment among countries amid the ongoing pandemic.
The EU has introduced export controls on Covid-19 vaccines made in the region under a transparency mechanism that gives its member countries powers to deny vaccine exports if the company making them has not honoured its existing contracts with the bloc.