GOOD NEWS: Ramping up Covaxin production, 10 crore vaccine doses/month to be churned out by September

New Delhi: In a major development, the government has cleared the decks for ramping up production of Bharat Biotech’s Coronavirus vaccine – Covaxin.

Under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0, Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by government to accelerate development and production of the indigenous COVID vaccine.

Under the Mission, the Department of Biotechnology Govt of India is providing financial support as Grant to vaccine manufacturing facilities for enhanced production capacities. The current production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin vaccine will be doubled by May-June 2021 and then increased nearly 6-7 fold by July – August 2021 i.e increasing the production from 1 crore vaccine doses in April, 2021 to 6-7 crore vaccine dose/month in July – August.

10 crore vaccine/month production by September 2021

It is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by Sep 2021.

Few weeks back, Inter-ministerial teams had visited the sites of 2 main vaccine manufacturers in India to get their inputs on how production can be ramped up. In this period, there have been extensive reviews and feasibility studies on the plans being discussed with vaccine manufacturers.

As a part this augmentation plan, capacities of Bharat Biotech Limited, Hyderabad as well as other public sector manufactures are being upgraded with required infrastructure and technology. Financial support is being provided as grant from GoI to the tune of appx Rs 65 Cr to Bharat Biotech’s new Bangalore facility which is being repurposed to increase the capacity of vaccine production.

3 public sector cos picked for augmenting Covaxin production

3 public sectors companies are also being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production.

Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd , Mumbai –a State PSE under State Govt of Maharashtra. Financial support as grant from GoI to the tune of appx Rs 65 Cr will be provided for this facility to be made ready for manufacturing. The Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals Ltd had asked for around 12 months to complete this task. However, the Central government has asked them to expedite and complete the task urgently within 6 months. The facility will have a capacity of 20 million dozes per month, once functional.

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), Hyderabad –A facility under National Dairy Development Board and Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Limited (BIBCOL) , Bulandshahr a CPSE under Department of Biotechnology ,Govt of India will also be supported to prepare there facility to provide 10-15 million dozes per month by Aug – Sep 2021.