COVID-19 | Moderna declines Punjab's request for direct vaccine supply, says they 'deal only with Government of India'

Representative image (Source: Reuters)

Moderna Inc, one of the leading COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers whose jabs are being administered in North America and Europe, has declined the Punjab government's request for direct supply of doses.

The company, as per its policy, would "only deal with Government of India", said Vikas Garg, Punjab's nodal officer for vaccination, on May 23.

The Punjab government has recently reached out to all top vaccine makers, including Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson and the producers of Russia's Sputnik V for the direct supply of doses to the state.

"One of a Covid vaccine manufacturer Moderna has refused to send direct vaccination to Punjab government as according to their policy, they only deal with Government of India and not with any state government or private parties," said a statement issued by Punjab's Information and Public Relations Department.

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Punjab was exploring the option of direct procurement of vaccines as it is among the Indian states which have reported a shortage in supply of jabs.

"It may be recalled that the state government was forced to stop vaccination for phase 1 and phase 2 categories in the last three days because of non-availability," the statement added.

"All efforts would be made for procurement of vaccines to meet the acute shortage in the state, which had received fewer than 44 lakh vaccine doses so far from the Government of India," it further stated.

As per GoI allocation for Phase III (18-44 age group), the state government has been been able to buy only 4.2lakh vaccine doses, including 66,000 received yesterday, Garg said. A total of 3.65 lakh doses have already been used, with only 64,000 doses remaining for now, he added.

Moderna's refusal to supply doses directly to the state governments is likely to hit the plans of other states as well who are exploring the possibility of direct procurement of vaccines.