PSU likely to start Covid vaccine production in September: Centre

NEW DELHI: Hyderabad-based public sector undertaking Indian Immunological Limited (IIL) may start supplying 2 million doses of Covaxin the country’s only fully indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine — by September, government authorities said on Tuesday. 

VK Paul, head of the national Covid-19 task force, said two other undertakings the government has tied up with for Covaxin production will take time to start manufacturing. These PSUs include BIBCOL under the ministry and Haffkine Institute under the Maharashtra government.

He added that Bharat Biotech’s Ankleshwar facility could add another 6 million Covaxin doses in days to come. “Covaxin production capacity will increase. We expect a quantum jump after the Bangalore facility (of Bharat Biotech) starts,” said Paul.

Paul said that there has been a delay because of standardisation issues, quality, efficient flow and validation. “Some hiccups can occur. But an additional facility in Ankaleshwar has started. We’ll get 6 million doses. The PSUs, to an extent from IIL, we’ll get 2 million doses by later in August or September.
Paul added that at Haffkine and BIBCOL, substantial infrastructure is needed. “We might need to wait until November-December for activation of those PSUs.”

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed Parliament that the monthly production capacity of Covaxin is expected to increase to around 58 million doses 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, and the production capacity of Covaxin is projected to be increased from 25 million doses per month to around 58 million doses per month,” the minister said in a reply in Rajya Sabha.

Low supply of Covaxin has remained a constant concern despite claims by the government earlier that nearly 10 crore doses of this vaccine may be produced from September, which will help it meet the target of vaccinating the entire adult population of the country by 2021.