Brazil Cancels $324 Million Covid Vaccine Deal With Bharat Biotech Amidst Graft Charges

Rio de Janeiro, June 30 (TNA) Amid a raging controversy on how the procurement was handled, the Brazil government has suspended a $324 million deal for Covid vaccines with India's Bharat Biotech, media reports said.

The decision was made public by the health minister of Brazil Marcelo Queiroga. He informed that the deal for 20 million doses of vaccines was being shelved for now. Whistleblowers in Brazil have accused the Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro of graft in this deal.

The government has offered explanations that the deal was fair and clean but opposition to it did not fade away. The government cancelled the deal after the matter reached the Supreme Court. According to reports in the media, the deal was off till a thorough probe into the deal is completed.