The Sputnik V for Argentina must come from India, but it is not yet manufactured there because it is not homologated

They should arrive in the country this Wednesday 580,000 doses of Covishield vaccine, manufactured by the laboratory of the Serum Institute of India, with technology from Oxford and AstraZeneca. These will be added to the minimum endowment of a little more 1 million doses of Sputnik V that the Ministry of Health was able to achieve, in a downward negotiation with various laboratories and countries, and with a significant delay if the official promises are compared to the launch of a massive vaccination campaign against Covid-19.

It is also expected, according to diplomatic sources, that the Chinese will sign the contract to send here in a few hours one million doses of Sinopharm, of the China National Farmatheutical Group, like Alberto Fernández and his ambassador in Beijing, Sabino Vaca Narvaja, are currently negotiating.

Concerned that any word could generate conflict, Indian Ambassador to Argentina Dinesh Bhatia spoke in an interview with Bugle on the production in your country not only of the Covishield vaccine – already approved in that country – but also of Covaxin, which is also available for sale. And he gave here a little known fact: that India, which is home to one of the largest laboratories in the world, did not approve the manufacture of Sputnik V, which the government hopes to acquire 25 million from Russia.

“At the moment, I can’t say anything else except that Sputnik has an agreement with our company (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories) to produce, but still have not started production. The problem with Indian Sputnik exports is therefore long term. In a few weeks, a few months, ”he said in his office at 900 Madero Avenue.

“This company is in contact with Sputnik and is in the process of Observation of the technology to create the production system, but Sputnik is still not approved by Indian authorities, once that is done they will produce too I think. I don’t know the plan of the lab, but they will also be exporting, ”he said.

The presidency and the health ministry said the millions of Russian vaccines Argentina was waiting for in January and February – and which did not arrive – were going to be manufactured in laboratories in India and South Korea. This does not happen. Then the new ambassador in Moscow left, Eduardo Zuaín, suggesting the production of the drug in Argentine laboratories, a fact which is not excluded but which would take a long time for the existing needs.

As of this Monday there was no news of what was going to happen between Argentina and South Korea, or if there is another alternative for a third country that can manufacture Sputnik. Sources linked to negotiations with the Russians assured that the South Koreans were already manufacturing it but did not give further details. On the other hand, in the press of the Asian country, they assured that for now what has started is the Russian vaccine import for your own consumption.

Vladimir Putin’s government did nothing but exceptions to Argentina after his dialogues with Alberto Fernández and sent a minimum endowment of production. By the law, vaccines made in Russia are intended for Russians. The last supply of 400,000 doses arriving last week was, although a sale, a political gesture to the Argentine government. Like the 820,000 who arrived between December and early January.

-What COVID vaccines produced in India? Clarín asked Ambassador Bathia.

-At the moment we have two vaccines, one is from AstraZeneca, which is produced by the laboratory of the Serum Institute of India (it refers to the vaccine known by the brand name Covishield). The other one is a fully developed, researched and developed vaccine in India called Covaxin, and it’s produced in a lab called Bharat Biotech, and it’s a completely Indian company, both companies are Indian. We are a country of 1350 million inhabitants (Thursday, they had vaccinated 7 million) and these two companies produce to send in other countries.

– Is Argentina already among them?

-Today, we have already sent our vaccines to 20 countries around the world. Not yet, he is discussing the issue of getting vaccines from India to Argentina (companies are taking it with the Argentine government). Neighbors are always the first priority for us, for any other country. They got a lot of it, in the first stage, at the beginning.

-So, what is it about to sell vaccines to Argentina?

-The government does not export. These are the companies that export, because they are private companies. Of course, the government controls the exports, because it is clear, it also makes sense, that the companies are going to give the Indian government what we need and then the extra capacity will be used for the export. It’s the government (of Argentina), the Ministry of Health and our companies. At the moment, between exports and donations, they add 22.97 million doses. But India is ready to export vaccines to Argentina.

PS