Covid vaccine export to be resumed from October: Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya

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The Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that once the government has assured the domestic demand of the vaccine in the country is met it will begin the export of Covid-19 vaccines from October. The government’s Vaccine Maitri programme to help the global supply of vaccines aims will increase the rate of production in October- December quarter. The global alliance for vaccines- COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization.

Till April 2021 India exported 66.3 million Covid vaccine doses. The Indian government gave 10.7 million doses of the total exported as a grant and 35.7 million doses were given as commercial exports by vaccine makers. Around 19.8 million doses were sent to COVAX. Around 260 million doses of vaccine will be supplied by indigenous manufacturers by September end. In October over 300 million doses will be supplied in the country through local production.

Mandaviya said, “We will increase the production of vaccines and take Vaccine Maitri forward in the fourth quarter, once we are sure our demand is met. Vaccine production is increasing and more companies are coming into the market.”

As the fear of the third wave is looming, the government also keeping a check on its preparedness. It is already working on certain vaccines. The supply has also been ramped up.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) which produces Covidshield, is manufacturing around 160 million doses of vaccine a month. From October, the company will produce 200 million doses of Covishield, as per its statement.

Vaccines like Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D, SII’s Covovax (Novavax) are also in line, expected in October. Mandaviya had said in August that Covaxin production was slated to rise to 58 million doses a month, from 25 million monthly doses.