Why WHO is delaying the approval for Covaxin?

Covaxin is India’s first indigenous vaccine against Covid-19 infection, was touted to play an important role in the country’s massive vaccination program. World Health Organization (WHO) has still not approved the vaccine for global use and seeks more data for final assessment likely on November 03^rd. Why Hyderabad-based firm Bharat Biotech is facing reluctance from W.H.O.? India is the only nation after China to complete 1 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines. Both Covishield and Covaxin have played vital roles in administrating the vaccine jabs in the country. Currently, India has three vaccines like Covishield, Covaxin, and Sputnik V. So far, WHO gave approval for seven vaccines like Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Covishield, J&J, Sinopharm, and Sinovac for the use of emergency approval in the world.

India’s home-grown vaccine Covaxin is definitely missed from the WHO list. Why companies are seeking WHO approval. If WHO gave approval for any vaccine it is nothing but global recognition most countries follow. WHO is still hasn’t approved Covaxin which seems to be a big concern for Indians. People who administered Covaxin can’t travel abroad and take multiple covid-19 tests and quarantine in some countries. The UK refused to recognize Cowin certificates, India made quarantine mandatory for UK citizens. Students want to go abroad for studies and employees working in MNCs are supposed to travel as per the requirement but they can’t due to delay in WHO approval. 9 nations other than India and two EU nations (Estonia and Greece) are using Covaxin.

But WHO is dragging in giving approval for Indian Covaxin since April 2021. Bharat Biotech predicted on July 09^th that WHO gave approval within six weeks. As of now, it is 15 weeks completed, and WHO delaying the approval. Pfizer got approval within 6 weeks and Moderna within 9 weeks, WHO has not come to a conclusion on Covaxin. Millions of Indians are stuck in limbo. There is a lot of ambiguity in this approval process. There is a number of issues had surfaced when the approval was given to the vaccine by the Indian regulator and cannot be ignored. Is there any pressure to delay the approval of Covaxin? The delay in grant of approval for it WHO is a result of China’s control over the WHO.