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Updated May 12th, 2021 at 18:01 IST

10 cr COVAXIN doses per month by Sept: Centre to fund multiple units & Haffkine ₹130+ cr

Production of COVAXIN will be increased from 1 crore doses in April to 6-7 crore doses in July and reach 10 crore doses/month by September 2021, the Centre said

Reported by: Jitesh Vachhatani
COVAXIN
Image Credits: PTI/ANI composite | Image:self
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In a bid to ramp up the COVID-19 immunization drive, the Union Government on Tuesday announced an additional financial grant of Rs 65 crore to aid Bharat Biotech's new Bangalore facility in increasing the capacity of the COVID-19 vaccine production. Setting clear targets, the Department of Biotechnology has said that the current production capacity of COVAXIN, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and ICMR, will be doubled by May-June 2021 and then increased to nearly 6-7 fold by August 2021. Providing numerical figures for context, the Union Ministry has said that the production of COVAXIN vials will be increased from the existing 1 crore doses in April to 6-7 crore doses in July and reach nearly 10 crore (100 million) doses per month by September this year. 

Issuing a press release on Wednesday, the Ministry of Science & Technology informed that inter-ministerial teams had visited 2 main vaccine manufacturers in India to get their inputs on how the production can be ramped up. Moreover, the teams conducted extensive reviews and feasibility studies on the plans being discussed with the manufacturers. The Central Ministry has also said that apart from the existing manufacturers, three public sector companies are being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production. 


Plan to augment COVAXIN's production:

  • April production: 1 crore doses (10 million)

  • July production: 6-7 crore doses (60-70 million)

  • September: 10 crore doses (100 million)

Manufacturing locations:

  • Bharat Biotech plant at Hyderabad

  • Bharat Biotech plant at Bengaluru

  • Haffkine Biopharma Corporation, Mumbai

  • IIL Hyderabad

  • BIBCOL, Bulandshahr


Rs 65 cr grant to Haffkine plant to manufacture COVAXIN

Out of these three, one is Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, based in Mumbai, which is a state PSE under the Government of Maharashtra. Notably, Haffkine received the Centre's nod in April to manufacture Bharat Biotech's anti-coronavirus vaccine COVAXIN. The approval had come after Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's demand to which PM Modi had responded by saying all institutes in various states which can produce the vaccines will be encouraged. 

Now, the Centre has informed that it will provide a financial grant to the tune of Rs 65 crore for the Haffkine facility (over and above the Rs 65 crore for Bharat Biotech's Bengaluru facility) to be made ready for manufacturing. The Central government has asked the institute to expedite and complete the task of setting up the unit within six months rather than the 12 months the manufacturer had sought. The unit is expected to have a production capacity of 20 million doses per month, once functional.

The Centre has also extended support to Indian Immunologicals Limited, based in Hyderabad, to prepare a facility to provide nearly 10-15 million dozes of COVAXIN per month by August-September 2021. To put things into perspective, up till Tuesday, India had administered just over 17 crore (170 million) vaccine doses overall.

Bharat Biotech starts direct supply of 'COVAXIN' to 14 states 

Bharat Biotech is supplying its COVID-19 vaccine 'Covaxin' to 18 states. The supply was commenced from May 1, according to the company's Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella. The supply of COVAXIN is also based on the allocations received by the Centre. Notably, Bharat Biotech on April 29 had announced a cut in the price of COVAXIN for states. The slashed price for states was decided as Rs 400 per dose from the earlier Rs 600 per dose. The company had earlier offered the jabs for Rs 1200 per dose to private hospitals. 
 

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Published May 12th, 2021 at 17:00 IST

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