Vaccine production to be increased by July End

The Union government has made it clear to the Supreme Court that the production of vaccine in India needs to be increased to more than 13 crore doses every month by the end of July. It stated that the suggestion for door-to-door vaccination under the national immunisation scheme is very inappropriate.

The government exclaimed, “Production capacity of vaccines under the vaccination drive has been gradually ramped up and is expected to increase further in the next couple of months. Serum Institute of India has ramped up production from 5 crore doses per month to 6.5 crore doses per month and further ramp up is expected by July. Bharat Biotech has increased production from 90 lakh/month to 2 crore doses/month and further increase is expected up to 5.5 crore doses/month by July. Sputnik V (distributed by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories) is expected to increase production from 30 lakh to 1.2 crore doses/month by July.”

It also stated, “Efforts have been made to support scale-up of production of Covaxin, under Mission Covid Suraksha. Accordingly, support for one private industry and three public sector manufacturing facilities is under consideration, to make them ready with enhanced capacities to support augmented vaccine production over the next 6-8 months.”

It also added, “The vaccine manufacturers recommended for support are Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad;Indian Immunologicals, Hyderabad; Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals, Mumbai; Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals, Bulandshahr. An amount of approximately Rs 200 crore has been allocated for supporting augmentation of capacities for manufacturing, whereby, it is expected that the current manufacturing of Covaxin of 10 million doses/month will be enhanced to nearly 100 million doses/month in the next 8-10 months.”

The government is unable to provide projection of vaccine production 6-8 months at a stretch.

The door-to-door vaccination is quite inappropriate in terms of administering the vaccines as it requires a certain amount of temperature and the vaccinated person should be observed for half an hour. The Centre stated the liberalised pricing mode for vaccines, where half of the vaccines should be provided to the Centre free of cost and at variable price to the states and private hospitals. The Centre has urged more private sectors to make an entry into the field.