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Indian pharma firm accuses EU and US of holding back vaccine materials

08 April 2021 17:59 (UTC +04:00)

The Indian pharmaceutical company licensed to make global supplies of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine has accused Europe and the United States of holding back vital raw materials needed for production, APA reports citing BBC.

The head of the Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawalla, told an Indian newspaper that production capacity was, as he put it, "stressed".

The company is under fire from foreign governments for halting exports of the jab. It's producing more than 60 million doses a month - but Poonawalla says he's been directed to prioritise Indian demand.

Several Indian states have reported vaccine shortages, saying they could run out of supplies within days.

Over the past 24 hours, India recorded a record number of Covid cases - more than 126,000.