Govt expects covid vaccines’ production capacity to increase from Dec

India’s production capacity of the covid-19 vaccine, Covishield, is expected to rise to more than 120 million doses per month by December from 110 million doses currently, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.

The capacity for Covaxin is also forecast to jump to around 58 million from around 25 million, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said while responding to a query in the Rajya Sabha on the current capacity and the expected capacity by December.

“As communicated by the manufacturers, the monthly vaccine production capacity of Covishield is projected to be increased from 110 million doses per month to more than 120 million doses per month and the production capacity of Covaxin is projected to be increased from 25 million doses per month to around 58 million doses per month,” he said in a written response.

The government recently sharply cut its estimated projection of the number of covid-19 vaccine doses to be available in the country by December-end. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court in June, the health ministry projected 1.35 billion doses in contrast to its estimation made in May of 2.16 billion doses, a shortfall of 810 million doses.

India mainly has three covid-19 vaccines available for administration currently—Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Oxford-AstraZeneca developed vaccine and Serum Institute of India (SII)-made Covishield and Russia’s Sputnik V.

SII has its own commitments to WHO’s COVAX, though it produced 90 million doses a month in June. India has also been exporting Covishield to other countries.

According to the government, with the projected population of 18 years and above at 940 million, there would be a total requirement of 1.88 billion doses for this population. It aims to fully vaccinate every adult by December-end

Meanwhile, the department of biotechnology under the science and technology ministry has launched ‘Mission COVID Suraksha - the Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission’. Mandaviya said the programme is being implemented by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (Birac).

Under the mission, the government has supported facility augmentation of Bharat Biotech and one state enterprise and two central public sector enterprises, including Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corp. Ltd, Mumbai; Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL), Hyderabad; and Bharat Immunologicals Biologicals Ltd, Bulandshahr; for Covaxin production.

In addition, technology transfer for Covaxin production to Gujarat Covid Vaccine Consortium, including Hester Biosciences and OmniBRx Biotechnologies Pvt. Ltd led by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, has also been facilitated, the minister said.

“The government has also extended financial assistance to one of the domestic manufacturers for ‘at-risk manufacturing’, advance payment against the supply orders placed with SII and Bharat Biotech, and streamlining of regulatory norms for approval of vaccines,” Mandaviya said.