NEW DELHI: India has been offered 7.5 million doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX global vaccine sharing programme, but it is not clear when the jabs will arrive in the country as a consensus on the indemnity clause is yet to be reached, sources said.
The government last week said that it is working actively with vaccine manufacturer Moderna to see how its vaccine can be made available in the country.
Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine was granted emergency use authorisation by India's drug regulator last month.
"India has been offered 7.5 million doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX global vaccine sharing programme," a source said.
However, there is no clarity so far when the shots would be available in India as "the talks are still on and a consensus on the indemnity issue is yet to be reached," a source said.
On the availability of Moderna vaccine in the country, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul had recently said the government is working actively with Moderna to see how its vaccine can be imported and made available in the country.
"To and fro (talks) are going on over the contractual specifics. Discussions have not yet concluded. We are making efforts as to it happens at the earliest. We are now expecting to hear from them anytime. Currently, they have to respond to some of the points we have made and we will take it forward," he said on Friday.
According to sources, the Indian government has put forth certain conditions for finalising the indemnity clause contract and has sent it to the US drug manufacturer for their perusal.
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has surpassed 41 crore, the Union health ministry said on Monday.
The ministry said that according to the 7 pm provisional report, 47,77,697 vaccine doses have been administered on Monday.
It said that 22,38,900 vaccine doses were administered as first dose and 1,48,075 vaccine doses were given as second dose in the age group 18-44 years on Monday.
Cumulatively, 12,73,70,809 persons in the age group 18-44 years across the country have received their first dose and 50,58,284 their second dose since the start of phase-3 of the vaccination drive.
Three states -- Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh -- have administered more than 1 crore cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the age group 18-44 years.
Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have vaccinated more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years for the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, more than 2.60 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories and private hospitals to be administered, the Centre said on Monday.
Over 42,15,43,730 vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, through all sources.
More than 2,60,12,352 balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs and private hospitals to be administered, the ministry said.
The Union government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country.
The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from June 21.
The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the government of India has been supporting states and UTs by providing them COVID-19 vaccines free of cost.
In the new phase of universalisation of the Covid vaccination drive, the Union government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and UTs, the ministry said.