Thread by @splainerin

#BigStory

The Brazilian government’s deal to import 20 million doses of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has sparked an investigation into corruption—raising questions about the involvement of President #Bolsonaro and about the vaccine itself.

In a deal signed in February, the Brazilian Health ministry agreed to pay $320 million for 20 million doses of Covaxin—at an eye-watering price of $15 per dose. The agreement was signed with a ‘middleman’ company called Precisa Medicamentos.

Bolsonaro’s mishandling of the pandemic is currently being investigated by a parliamentary commission. 2 big government contracts—one to buy Covaxin and the other to purchase raw materials for the drug Hydroxychloroquine—have raised a lot of red flags.

Covaxin is the only vaccine in Brazil that was bought via a middleman. Internal documents suggest that #PrecisaMedicamentos was paid $100 million—a third of the total amount—for its services. But the Health Ministry denies making any such payment.

At $15 a dose, Covaxin is also way more costly than any of the other vaccines—though Precisa claims it is the same as the price negotiated with 13 other countries. It is the single most expensive vaccine deal made by Brazil.

A health ministry official told prosecutors that he was pressured to push through the import agreement for Covaxin by aides of one of Bolsonaro’s closest allies—the former Health Minister.

Read our #BigStory today for the Hydroxychloroquine angle and more on Covaxin’s future in Brazil:
splainer.in/posts/2021/Bra…

#Covaxin #Brazil #ANVISA #corruption #vaccine #BharatBiotech #PMModi #HCQ #vaccine