The government clarified on Monday that fresh orders for Covid-19 vaccines have already been placed with Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for May, June and July and the two companies have already been paid the money in advance for delivering the doses.
The Health Ministry termed as “false and factually incorrect” reports in a section of the media that alleged no vaccines have been ordered for the extended vaccination drive to cover all adults in the country from May 1.
It has presented detailed figures which show the amount of money paid and the number of doses of the two vaccines—Covishield and Covaxin that will be supplied from May to July.
The Union Minister for Health, Dr. Harsh Vardhan on his Twitter posted the official statement with the message: “Reports alleging Centre has not placed any fresh order for #COVID19Vaccines are factually incorrect…”
The statement said that the “completely incorrect” reports suggest that the last order placed with the two vaccine makers — for 100 million doses with SII and 20 million doses with Bharat Biotech — was in March 2021.
The Ministry stated: “It is clarified that 100% advance of Rs. 1732.50 cr (after TDS Rs. 1699.50 cr) was released to Serum Institute of India (SII) on 28.04.2021 for 11 crore doses of Covishield vaccine during May, June and July, and was received by them on 28.04.2021.
As on date, against the last order of 10 crore doses for supplies of Covishield vaccine, 8.744 crore doses have been delivered till 03.05.2021.”
Highlighting about the order placed with Bharat Biotech, the statement said: ”Additionally, 100% advance of Rs. 787.50 crore was released on 28.04.2021 to Bharat Biotech India Ltd for 5 crore Covaxin doses during May, June and July, and was received by them on 28.04.2021. As on date against the last order of 2 crore doses for supplies of Covaxin vaccine, 0.8813 crore doses have been delivered till 03.05.2021.”
Thus the Ministry said: “Hence to say that fresh orders have not been placed by Government of India is not correct.”
Further giving the break-up of distribution of vaccines among the States, the Ministry said: “As of 2nd May 2021, Govt. of India has provided more 16.54 crore vaccine doses to States/UTs Free of Cost. More than 78 lakh doses are still available with the States/UTs tobe administered. More than 56 Lakh doses in addition will be received by the States/UTs in the next 3 days”.
The statement reiterated that under the the Liberalised Pricing & Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, the Government of India would continue to procure its share of 50% of the monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccines and & would continue to make it available to the State Governments totally free of cost as was being done earlier.
The Centre had made significant changes to the vaccination policy. It was decided that States could buy the coronavirus vaccines directly from manufacturers, who can release up to 50 per cent of their supply for this purpose at a “pre-declared price”.
Further, it was clarified that manufacturers, however, had to supply half their output to the Centre, which will also release these doses, based on number of cases and wastage, to States via the Central Drugs Laboratory. The rest can be sold to the States directly or can be made available in the open market at a pre-agreed price that will be decided after talks with all concerned stakeholders.
