SII to raise monthly vaccine production to 10 crore doses, Bharat Biotech to 7.8 crore doses by August

The Serum Institute of India, manufacturer of the Covishield vaccine, has stated that it will raise the monthly production of its vaccine to 10 crore doses by August 2021. Bharat Biotech, the manufacturer of COVAXIN, has promised to raise its monthly vaccine production to 7.8 crore doses. 

The Union Health Ministry and the office of Drugs Controller General of India had sought vaccine production plans for June, July, August and September from both the firms. 

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had informed on May 12th that the national capital has exhausted its reserve stock of vaccines. He said while their COVAXIN stock will only last about a day, their Covishield stock will last just about 2-3 days. As a result, he informed that over 100 vaccination centres set up in 17 schools have been closed.

However, Delhi is not the only state reporting a shortage in COVID-19 vaccines, multiple states have reported the same issue. Though centre opened vaccination for all above 18 years from May 1st, it is still extremely difficult for those between 18-45 years to book vaccine slots as none are available. 

SII, Bharat Biotech Vaccine production plan 

•Both Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech have submitted their vaccine production plan for the next four months to the Centre, informing them that they can increase their production up to 10 crore and 7.8 crore doses respectively by August 2021. 

•Bharat Biotech's whole-time Director Dr. V Krishna Mohan is learned to have conveyed to the government that the firm will raise production of Covaxin to 3.32 crore in July and 7.82 crore in August, which will be maintained in September as well.

•SII's Government and Regulatory Affairs Director, Prakash Kumar Singh has also communicated to the government that the production of Covishield will be increased to 10 crore doses each in August and the same level will be maintained in September.

•The SII Director confirms that the quantities mentioned will be fulfilled under all circumstances. He stated that they are trying their best by utilising all the resources to increase the production capacity of the Covishield vaccine. The production of the vaccine in June and July is also expected to increase by some quantity.

•The Ministry of Science & Technology had also said in a statement on April 16, 2021 that the vaccine production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin will be doubled in May-June 2021 and then increased nearly 6-7 fold by July-August 2021.

Inter-Ministerial group visits vaccine production facilities

The government had constituted an inter-ministerial group to facilitate the capacity augmentation of domestic vaccine manufacturing. The group comprising Joint Secretary in the Department of Pharmaceuticals Rajneesh Tingal and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Mandeep Bhandari had visited the vaccine production facilities of both Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech in April.

Background 

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has indigenously developed and manufactured Covaxin, while the Pune-based Serum Institute of India is manufacturing the Covishield vaccine, which has been developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca. Currently, these two vaccines are being used for India's vaccination drive. India has also given emergency use approval to Russia's Sputnik vaccine. While the initial lot of Sputnik has arrived in India, it will be soon be manufactured as well in the country to ramp up the vaccine supply.