New Delhi, August 6 | Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Friday.
The meeting was organized to discuss Covishield supply and increase production in India. Minister Mandaviya assured the government’s support in the production of Kovishield.
Mandaviya discussed the Centre’s vaccine policy to meet the target and ways forward to accelerate the supply of vaccines amid fears of a third Covid wave.
“Met @AdarPoonawalla CEO of @SerumInstIndia & had a fruitful discussion on supply of Covishield vaccine. I appreciate their role in mitigating #COVID19 and assure the government’s continued support to accelerate vaccine production,” the health minister said in a tweet.
Earlier, the Center said in Parliament, “As informed by the manufacturers, the monthly vaccine production capacity of Covishield is planned to be increased from 11 crore doses per month to 12 crore doses per month and the production capacity of Covaxin is planned to be increased per month. This should be increased from 2.5 crore doses per month to about 5.8 crore doses per month.
The government informed that 44.42 crore doses of Kovashield have been supplied by Serum Institute of India and 6.82 crore doses of Covaxin have been supplied by Bharat Biotech International Limited for the National COVID Vaccination Program from January 16 to August 5.
Meanwhile, India’s cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage crossed the landmark of 49 crore doses on Thursday. In all, 49,53,27,595 vaccine doses have been given through 57,64,712 sessions, according to the provisional report of the Union Health Ministry. A total of 57,97,808 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours.
However, India continues to report over 40,000 fresh Covid-19 cases for the third day. India on Friday reported a total of 44,643 new cases in the last 24 hours.
Source: IANS