Malaria impacts India more than anywhere else in southeast Asia, but relief could be on the way if the early promise of vaccines in development is fulfilled.
Many poor and marginalised people, who often view the state and its agencies as hostile entities, have absorbed misinformation to fuel conspiracy views.
India found itself in an advantageous position to react to the regional need for vaccines, but it used the opportunity to advance its diplomatic interests.
India’s central government will take over Covid-19 vaccine procurement; private hospitals are allowed to procure their own vaccines, but service charge will be fixed at 150 rupees per dose.
Malaysia reported 185.3 new Covid-19 cases per million people on May 23, based on a rolling seven-day average, exceeding India (184.99) and the US (76.31).
India’s temporary hold on exports of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India has affected South Korea -- which produces doses under COVAX for Malaysia -- amid production delays at a South Korean vaccine manufacturing plant.
The nation of 1.3 billion people was this month overtaken by Brazil as the second-most infected country after cases dipped in December and January from a peak of nearly 100,000 per day in September.