Serum Institute of India

A "huge number" of poorer countries have had to suspend their coronavirus vaccination programmes due to a lack of doses, the World Health Organization said on June 18. 

The Covax vaccine programme secured another $2.4 billion from donors on June 2, but underlined it was still struggling to get enough doses to help poorer countries fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scheme is trying to get enough vaccines for 30 percent of the population in 92 of the poorest participating territories - 20 percent in India - with donors covering the cost.

EU leaders agreed Tuesday to donate at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to poorer nations by the end of the year as supplies steadily rise across Europe.

Gathered in Brussels for a two-day summit, the 27 leaders backed a text in which they pledge to continue efforts "to increase global vaccine production capacities in order to meet global needs."

The World Health Organization on March 12 listed the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) for emergency use in all countries, saying that more than 335 million jabs have been safely administered worldwide to date.

The World Health Organization gave emergency use approval to AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines on Feb. 15, meaning distribution can start to poorer countries starved of doses to fight the pandemic.

India will provide humanitarian assistance to Myanmar to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, as international pressure mounts against Myanmar's military leaders following a coup.