Rio De Janeiro:
Brazil will suspend a $324 million Indian vaccine contract that has mired President Jair Bolsonaro in accusations of irregularities, the wellness minister mentioned on Tuesday, following the guidance of the federal comptroller, the CGU.
The deal to obtain 20 million doses of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin shot has grow to be a headache for Bolsonaro just after whistleblowers went public with issues more than irregularities.
One Health Ministry official mentioned he personally alerted the president about his issues. Brazil’s Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga mentioned at a news conference his group would probe the allegations when the suspension was ongoing.
“According to the preliminary analysis of the CGU, there are no irregularities in the contract but, for compliance, the Health Ministry chose to suspend the contract for a more in-depth analysis,” the ministry mentioned in a statement.Earlier on Thursday, Reuters reported a CNN Brasil report that the ministry had decided to cancel the contract.
Brazilian federal prosecutors have opened an investigation into the deal, citing comparatively higher rates, swift talks and pending regulatory approvals as red flags for the contract signed in February.
The contract is also becoming probed by a Senate panel investigating the government’s handling of the pandemic.
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