Serum Institute of India (SII) will be able to restart exports of Covishield vaccine by June if the fresh wave of Covid-19 infections subsides in the country, its chief executive said on Tuesday. But a continued surge could result in more delays because SII would have to meet domestic needs, Adar Poonawalla warned in an interview with AP.
The world’s largest vaccine maker is a key supplier for the UN-backed COVAX programme that aims to distribute vaccines equitably in the world. On March 25, COVAX announced a major setback in its vaccine rollout because a surge in infections in India caused SII to cater to domestic demand, delaying global shipments of up to 90 million doses.
Since then, daily new infections in India have almost doubled.
As the government broadened its immunisation drive, increased demand forced a halt in exports. Several top state officials have sought further expansion.
Poonawalla said the company has “chosen to prioritise India temporarily for two months” and hopes to then restart exports.
‘Have to Protect Our Nation’
He acknowledged that has put a “strain on our contractual obligations” to provide vaccines to other countries, and that he has been fielding phone calls from various heads of state. “I’ve had to politely explain to everybody the situation,” he said, adding that most world leaders understood because they were facing the same issues — the needs of domestic politics and questions raised by opposition parties and the public.
“Nationalism is happening ... to a certain extent, everywhere,” said Poonawalla, pointing to vaccine export controls imposed by Europe and the use in the US of the Defense Production Act to prevent the export of critical raw materials needed to scale up vaccine manufacturing.
He said the unavailability of these raw materials, such as the specific medium needed to grow microorganisms, could affect the Serum Institute’s production of another vaccine, Novavax, which is still being tested in India. It has signed a deal to supply Novavax to COVAX but pivoting to different suppliers of the raw materials would result in a delay of five to six months, he said. “The crunch ... for supplies is today,” he said.
‘Require Rs 3,000 cr to Ramp up Vaccine Production’
Serum Institute would require around Rs 3,000 crore to ramp up production capacity for making Covid-19 vaccines, CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Tuesday.
“We need roughly Rs 3,000 crore, which is not a small figure, considering we have already spent thousands of crores. We have to find other innovative ways to build our capacity so we can support our nation in light of the Covid surge,” Poonawalla said.
The company hopes to increase its capacity of Covishield to 110 million doses per month from June, he added. It is producing 2 million doses per day.
The world’s largest vaccine maker is a key supplier for the UN-backed COVAX programme that aims to distribute vaccines equitably in the world. On March 25, COVAX announced a major setback in its vaccine rollout because a surge in infections in India caused SII to cater to domestic demand, delaying global shipments of up to 90 million doses.
Since then, daily new infections in India have almost doubled.
As the government broadened its immunisation drive, increased demand forced a halt in exports. Several top state officials have sought further expansion.
Poonawalla said the company has “chosen to prioritise India temporarily for two months” and hopes to then restart exports.
‘Have to Protect Our Nation’
If the surge doesn’t subside in India, “I am scared of what ... we will have to do, and what will happen,” he said. “We are going to have to keep supplying to India, and not anywhere else. Because we have to protect our nation.”
He acknowledged that has put a “strain on our contractual obligations” to provide vaccines to other countries, and that he has been fielding phone calls from various heads of state. “I’ve had to politely explain to everybody the situation,” he said, adding that most world leaders understood because they were facing the same issues — the needs of domestic politics and questions raised by opposition parties and the public.
“Nationalism is happening ... to a certain extent, everywhere,” said Poonawalla, pointing to vaccine export controls imposed by Europe and the use in the US of the Defense Production Act to prevent the export of critical raw materials needed to scale up vaccine manufacturing.
He said the unavailability of these raw materials, such as the specific medium needed to grow microorganisms, could affect the Serum Institute’s production of another vaccine, Novavax, which is still being tested in India. It has signed a deal to supply Novavax to COVAX but pivoting to different suppliers of the raw materials would result in a delay of five to six months, he said. “The crunch ... for supplies is today,” he said.
‘Require Rs 3,000 cr to Ramp up Vaccine Production’
Serum Institute would require around Rs 3,000 crore to ramp up production capacity for making Covid-19 vaccines, CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Tuesday.
“We need roughly Rs 3,000 crore, which is not a small figure, considering we have already spent thousands of crores. We have to find other innovative ways to build our capacity so we can support our nation in light of the Covid surge,” Poonawalla said.
The company hopes to increase its capacity of Covishield to 110 million doses per month from June, he added. It is producing 2 million doses per day.
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6 Comments on this Story
 | Kahal1 hour ago The strange thing is that India has confirmed cases and the epidemic can recur on a large scale when there is a large-scale vaccine. It is a world miracle. |
| Yogesh Saindane2 hours ago look, we do not any right to criticize , sitting in protected home. SERUM and Poonswallas are doing excellent job. Do you have an option or can you invent vaccine? |
| krishnamraju sirna2 hours ago Will the govt now open eyes and see the need for vaccination. As pointed by SII ceo Adar Poobnawala there are supply side constraints to materials for making vaccine, will the govt discuss this issue with US and get them done. When we talk so much about diplomacy with we serving other nations it does not make any sense that we are not making any steps for mitigation of supply side issues. We should have done 2 months back what required for manufacturing and arranged them. Also, vaccine makers should not be asked to give at low price, people can afford this amount with reasonable price set, not so much low that you want to convince people we are offering Vax at low price. This is not a ime to offer at low price but quantity available for all at reasonable price. Other thing what happen to bharat biotech vaccine, no one knows for sure what's the heck with this indigenous vaccines. Govt seem kept it in back burner and not allowing it to grow, or company is not willing to serve country. Despite saying we have world's highest capacity, we cannot offord vaccines for all, it is shame to all involved parties and pls don't keep say world's biggest maker we have and biggest inoculation going on. Don't fool people with false news, just put the facts right and say this is what we are doing best. Should take control of all facilities and produce Vax. |
