Even two days after India started delivering vaccines to its neighbors and allies under the grant assistance program, authorities in Sri Lanka are yet to register Covishield, the Astra-Zeneca vaccine manufactured by India’s Serum Institute.

India, while announcing its vaccine gift to neighbors, said it was still waiting for necessary regulatory approval from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Mauritius.

A report on Economy Next said the National Medicine Regulatory Authority in Sri Lanka  has not yet registered the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed by Oxford and manufactured by Serum Institute in India.

The country is also expected to receive vaccines from Covax- a program by the World Health Organisation to provide vaccines to low and middle-income group countries. An official said most likely the country would receive Pfizer vaccine by mid-February through Covax.

Unlike, AstraZeneca vaccine which can be stored relatively at a higher temperature, Pfizer needs to stored at -70 degrees celsius. Health officials in Sri Lanka planned to use cold storages, created for blood banks, for vaccine storage.   

Earlier this month, Indian External Affairs Minister  S Jaishankar undertook a three-day tour to the country where Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapakshe requested him for the early provision of vaccines to Sri Lanka.