Brazil Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga on Tuesday that the country will suspend its Covid-19 vaccine contract with India’s Bharat Biotech ...
Brazil Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga on Tuesday that the country will suspend its Covid-19 vaccine contract with India’s Bharat Biotech, amid allegations of corruption in the deal, reported Reuters.
A federal investigation is underway into alleged irregularities in a contract between Brazil’s health ministry and Bharat Biotech for 20 million (2 crore) doses of Covaxin.
“According to the preliminary analysis of the CGU [Comptroller General of the Union], there are no irregularities in the contract but, for compliance, the Health Ministry chose to suspend the contract for a more in-depth analysis,” the ministry said in a statement.
Queiroga said that his team would investigate the allegations while the suspension was ongoing. Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoings.
The corruption allegations pertain to buying the Covaxin doses at a higher price. To buy vaccines, the Brazilian health ministry will have to pay $320 million (Rs 2,375 crore approximately) to Precisa Medicamentos, Bharat Biotech’s intermediary in Brazil. So each dose of Covaxin will cost Brazil $15 (approximately Rs 1,100).
This is significantly higher than what the health ministry paid for American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s vaccine, which has already obtained regulatory approval in Brazil.
Officials from the Brazilian health ministry also reportedly did not consider that Precisa, Bharat Biotech’s intermediary, had a history of alleged irregularities in...
