Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) could export 2 to 3 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses to WHO-backed COVAX by November and December, the company’s chief Adar Poonawalla told News18.com.
The manufacturer of Covishield, the vaccine which became the backbone of India’s vaccination drive against Covid-19, SII has boosted its production capacity to 22 crore doses per month. “At present, we are waiting for the government of India to lay down a proper direction regarding the exports of vaccines,” said Poonawalla, the CEO of SII.
“That said, based on our production capacity, and current demand, we should be able to export 20 to 30 million (2-3 crore) Covid-19 vaccine doses to COVAX by November and December, and then many more from January,” he added.
The COVAX programme is sponsored by the Gavi vaccine alliance along with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
While India has gradually resumed the export of Covid-19 vaccines to help neighbouring countries, COVAX is still waiting for its turn to receive the vaccine supplies it ordered from the Covishield maker.
Till March 25, COVAX had been supplied with 28 million (2.8 crore) Covishield doses and was expecting an additional 40 million (4 crore) doses to be available in March, and up to 50 million (5 crore) doses in April. However, India has restricted the export of vaccines due to increased domestic demand after the turbulent second wave of Covid-19 infections.
COVAX was launched in April 2020 by Gavi, the WHO, the European Commission and France with the objective of distributing Covid-19 vaccines to lower and middle-income countries.
‘No rush in launching vaccine for children’
The company is aiming to escalate the production of Covishield even further. “Our current production capacity stands at 220 million (22 crore) doses and our maximum output will be around 240 million (24 crore) doses a month,” he said.
Covovax, another Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by SII for children, is expected to be launched by February. However, Poonawalla says that his company won’t “fast-track” the ongoing trials.
“By February 2022, we hope to launch Covovax for children. At present, we are undergoing trials. We would not fast-track the trials for this, especially when there’s no urgency to do so,” he clarified.
Making of Covishield
Out of the total 100 crore doses administered in India as on October 21, 88 crore doses were of Covishield. According to Poonawalla, the journey of administering one billion doses has been “exhilarating and challenging at the same time”.
“We are glad to have played an instrumental role in India’s fight against the pandemic. That said, largely the credit goes to the government of India, frontline workers, and every healthcare professional who worked tirelessly to make the fight stronger,” he said.
Calling the drive a “mammoth task”, he recounted several hiccups along the way. “Right from choosing to go with at-risk manufacturing, obtaining approvals, procuring raw materials in a global lockdown, setting up facilities, securing logistical, infrastructural, and financial avenues that can withstand and deliver the demand has been a herculean task.”
“However, milestones such as these, and a small glimmer of hope of containing the spread makes every challenge that we faced worthwhile,” he said.
Impact on Launch of Other Products
SII, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally, manufactures a variety of biological products, including vaccines for polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella. The company claims that around 65% of the children in the world receive at least one vaccine manufactured by SII.
However, due to increased production of Covid-19 vaccines at its manufacturing sites, the company has “sacrificed” the manufacturing of other products.
“Most of our products which we were going to launch this year may get delayed further. We have sacrificed the manufacturing of other vaccine/immunisation products by dedicating the facilities for Covishield and other COVID-19 vaccines,” he said without divulging further details.
With the Covid-19 vaccination drive, India has for the first time vaccinated its adult population. Will Indians open up to the idea of adult vaccinations? “Only time will tell,” Poonawalla said, adding that “the drive has certainly raised awareness of the benefits of immunisations. That said, we hope that India opens us to the idea of adult vaccination against several diseases.”
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