Production capacity of Covaxin to be doubled by June

Centre has said that the current production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin will be doubled by next month. The Health Ministry said, the production will then be increased to nearly 6-7 fold by July and August. Thus, it's production will be increased  from one crore vaccine doses in April, 2021 to 6 to 7 crore vaccine doses in the month of July and August. 

The Ministry added that the production of the vaccine is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by September this year. This capacity augmentation of Covaxin carried out under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by the Government of India and implemented by the Department of Biotechnology Govt of India to accelerate the development and production of Indigenous COVID Vaccines.

The Ministry also said that there have been some unfound media reports on unaccounted vaccine doses of Bharat Biotech and these reports are incorrect and not supported by full information on the matter.

The claims of Bharat Biotech having 6 Crore doses is an error of comprehension



among some quarters reporting the matter.

The Ministry said, so far, Bharat Biotech has supplied 2 crore 76 lakh 66 thousand 860 vaccine doses to the Central Government. Out of them, 2 crore 20 lakh 89 thousand 880 doses including wastage, have been consumed by all the States and UTs in the ongoing COVID-19 Vaccination drive. With this, the balance available doses of vaccines with States and UTs are over 55 lakh 76 thousand doses. 

The Health Ministry said, Private hospitals have also received 13 lakh 65 thousand 760 doses of Covaxin in the same month over and above what has been supplied to the Centre and the states. It said, in the month of May, 2021 additional 21 lakh 54 thousand 440 doses of Covaxin are to be supplied. This takes the total vaccine supplied and in pipeline till date to over 3 crore 11 lakh doses. Almost 90 lakh doses are committed for the month of June by the Manufacturer.

The Ministry added that Vaccine being a biological product of medical importance takes time for harvesting and quality testing.