Covishield is currently in phase 2 and phase 3 human trials. (Figurative)
New Delhi:
The Union Ministry of Health has said it disagrees with the Rs 80 billion figure cited by Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, and that it is conducting candidate trials. to Covid vaccines before mass production. for the purchase and distribution of the vaccine in the country. The Ministry also stated that it has sufficient funds for the vaccine.
While addressing the media on Tuesday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan was asked for a response to Poonawalla’s tweet highlighting challenges in the production and distribution of vaccines in the country. On September 26, Mr. Poonawalla tweeted: “Quick question, will the government of India have Rs 80 billion available next year? Because that’s what @MoHFW_INDIA needs, to buy and distribute the vaccine to everyone in India. This is the next relative challenge we must tackle. ” He had also tagged the official Twitter username of the Prime Minister’s Office in his tweet.
The Health Secretary replied: “The person who tweeted it also clarified the next day. As far as we are concerned, we do not agree with the 80 billion rupee estimate. The government has created a National Group of Experts on Administration of Vaccines and have There have been five meetings so far. In these meetings, we have reflected on the process of distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and the amount required for it in terms of prioritizing the population and staggered immunization for this prioritization. In the meetings we have calculated the required amount and currently, that amount is available with the government. “
After Poonawalla questioned the government’s vaccine funding, Ashwani Mahajan, the national co-convenor of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, who is affiliated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), tweeted that Poonawalla could be “forced to produce a royalty-free vaccine. of exploitation “.
On Twitter he had posted saying: “Let @adarpoonawalla know that India’s Patent Law has a section on Compulsory Licensing and we can force you and your peers to produce vaccines free of exploitation rights.
Shortly after, Poonawalla tweeted praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, on COVID-19 vaccines and all the government “fixes”.
He tweeted saying: “We share and applaud your vision @narendramodi ji, on supplying vaccines to the world community. It is a proud moment for India, thank you for your leadership and support. It is clear that all your arrangements for India will take heed. all the needs of the Indian people. “
Prime Minister Modi said on Saturday in his virtual address to the UNGA that India can help lift the world out of the coronavirus crisis with mass distribution of vaccines once all trials are successfully completed.
Covishield, the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and being tested for IBS in India, is currently in phase 2 and phase 3 human trials.
In July, when Poonawalla spoke to NDTV, he suggested that the Covishield vaccine, if available, would cost around Rs 1,000. She also said that India would receive around 30 million doses per month and that it could take up to two years for the entire country to be inoculated.
In addition to Covishield, other candidate vaccines are also being tested across the country. Indigenous vaccine developers Bharat Biotech are in phase 2 trials with COVAXIN and Zydus Cadila is awaiting phase 3 clinical trial approvals for their vaccine.
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