(ANSA) - NEW DELHI, APRIL 07 - The Serum Institute of India, the largest vaccine producer in the world, has asked the Indian government for a loan of approximately 408 million dollars to rapidly increase its production capacity.
CEO Adar Poonawalla said this last night in an interview with the Delhi television network NDTV.
"We are not at a loss, but the government's request to give priority to the domestic supply and to suspend those to foreign countries for two months has canceled the profits."
The company in fact gives the Indian government a dose at the agreed price of 170 rupees, just over two euros, while the price for foreign buyers is much higher Poonawalla explained that the serum Institute already produces a minimum of 2 million doses per day but that intends to make a substantial investment to expand capacity over the next three months.
Poonawala added that if the government does not give the funding, the Serum Institute will ask the banks for the loan.
"We will continue to give priority to India, we will provide a dose for every Indian", he repeated, "but we also want to honor the contract to have Covishlied, (as the vaccine developed by Astra Zeneca in India is called), to all other countries, and deliver the 2 million doses commissioned by Covax, the WHO program for poor countries "(ANSA).