Ukraine Intends to Terminate Contract With Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Maker - Health Minister

KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th August, 2021) Ukraine is planning to discontinue the contract with the Indian Serum Institute for the Novavax and Covishield COVID-19 vaccines due to deficient supplies, Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko said on Saturday.

"A political decision is being made for us to terminate the contract with the Serum Institute of India," Liashko told reporters, as quoted by Ukrainian news outlet Liga.net.

Kiev was supposed to receive 10 million doses of Novavax, but the vaccine has not yet been registered in India. The Serum Institute also failed to supply the contracted 1.

5 million doses of Covishield, according to the Ukrainian official.

"I met several times online with them [Serum Institute officials]. The owner came to Ukraine, made a promise to the president and did not keep it," Liashko noted.

The minister added that there were enough vaccines in the country despite the India-related setback.

The immunization drive in Ukraine began on February 24 using the Covishield vaccine. The country's vaccine portfolio also includes CoronaVac by China's Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer's Comirnaty.