The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Friday, 28 May, announced that the monthly production of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin will be increased to 6-7 crore doses in the month of July and August.
The Ministry also stated that the production capacity of Covaxin is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses a month by September.
"There have been some unfounded media reports on unaccounted vaccine doses of Bharat Biotech. These reports are incorrect and are not supported by full information on the matter. The claims of Bharat Biotech having six crore doses is an error of comprehension among some quarters reporting the said matter," the Ministry said in its statement.
The statement comes in the light of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioning the pace of vaccination in the country and lack of vaccination strategy, in a virtual press conference on Friday.
“Vaccine being a biological product of medical importance takes time for harvesting and quality testing. This cannot be done overnight to ensure a safe product. Thus, increase in capacity of manufacturing too needs to be a guided process, and an increase in gross production does not translate to immediate supply,” the Ministry added.
According to figures provided by the Ministry in its statement, Bharat Biotech has supplied 2,76,66,860 vaccine doses to the Centre. Out of these, 2,20,89,880 doses, including wastage, have been consumed by all the states/UTs.
The balance doses available with states and UTs are 55,76,980. Private hospitals have also received 13,65,760 doses of Covaxin in the same month, over and above what has been supplied to the central government and the states.