Vaccine shortages threaten the government’s plan to vaccinate the entire population, while the burden of Covid-19 puts the health system on the brink of collapse.

Indians have high expectations for the expanded vaccination program in the Covid-19 fight.

To date, 10% of Indians have received a dose of vaccine, out of a population of 1.3 billion.

The task of providing vaccines in India mainly falls to the Serum Institute, the world’s largest manufacturer.

Four states placed vaccine orders to meet expanded vaccination needs from May 1, but the Serum Institute announced that they would not deliver until May 15.

Indian medical staff are vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccine in New Delhi.

Punjab State Health Director Balbir Singh Sidhu said: `There is no way to vaccinate without a vaccine. The situation is quite clear now. Vaccination centers are open, but there is no vaccine yet.`

`They (the Serum Institute) do not have enough capacity to supply us. The immediate question is: we have 30.13 million people aged 18-45, how to vaccinate them?`, Director

On April 26, Mumbai said there was only enough vaccine left for three days.

While the central government funds vaccines for people over 45 years old, states will have to purchase vaccines for people 18-45 years old themselves.

States were told each dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine would cost 400 rupees ($5.35), much higher than the central government’s 150 rupees ($2).

The opposition party accused the Indian government of condoning `blatant profiteering` from the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same day, US President Joe Biden promised to support India in fighting the epidemic.

The US also lifted the ban on exporting raw materials, although it is unclear whether this will have much impact on AstraZeneca vaccine production.

Hospitals across New Delhi repeatedly made `SOS` calls to report severe oxygen shortages.

India is the world’s largest manufacturer of generic drugs and one of the major vaccine manufacturers, supplying 60% of vaccines to the market.