India in talks to join COVAX vaccine allocation scheme, says WHO official

The World Health Organization is in talks with India about joining the "COVAX" global vaccine allocation plan, a senior WHO adviser said on Monday.

"India is certainly eligible, like all countries in the world, to be part of the COVAX facility and discussions are ongoing in that regard," Bruce Aylward told a briefing in Geneva. "We would welcome Indian participation ...India has extensive experience (with vaccines)."

The WHO and the GAVI vaccine alliance are leading the COVAX facility, aimed at helping buy and distribute vaccination shots against the novel coronavirus fairly around the world. But some countries that have secured their own supplies through bilateral deals, including the United States, have said they will not join COVAX.