After the Serum Institute of India (SII,) the Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech International Private Limited also fixed the prices for India made vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus COVAXIN.
On the 25th of April, the COVAXIN manufacturer Bharat Biotech announced COVAXIN supply at Rs. 600 for State governments and Rs. 1,200 for private hospitals. In addition, the export cost for COVAXIN would be between 15$ to 20$.
Krishna M, Ella, the Chairman and the Managing Director (MD) of Bharat Biotech, justified the high cost and said, “COVAXIN is an inactivated and highly purified vaccine, making manufacturing expensive due to very low process yields. All costs towards product development, manufacturing facilities and clinical trials were deployed primarily using internal funding and resources of Bharat Biotech.”
With this, 50 % production of the COVID-19 vaccine, COVAXIN, would now be available for state governments directly. Meanwhile, the remaining 50 % would be given to the Central Government at Rs. 150 per doses, like previously.
The arrangements and price fixing of the vaccines was done after the Central Government allowed the manufacturers to deal directly with the state governments and charge as per their choice for the vaccine. The supply with the new arrangements and costing would begin from the 1st of May, the third phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive.
The amount fixed by the Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech is more expensive than the price of Covisheild of the SII. The SII fixed Covisheild supply to state governments at Rs. 400 and to private hospitals at Rs. 600.
The Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech received its first demand of supply from Andhra Pradesh. In order to vaccinate 2,04,70,364 people in the 18 to 45 age group, the State Government placed an order for 4.08 crore doses of COVAXIN and Covishield, each.
The exercise is expected to cost the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Government Rs.1,600 crores.
Meanwhile, another Telugu State, Telangana expects the vaccination program to cost more than Rs.2,500 crores. Recently, K. Chandrashekar Rao, the Chief Minister of Telangana, announced to provide free vaccination to all the residents of Telangana.
The third phase of the COVID-19 doses of two India made vaccines would begin from the 1st of May. In the third phase, everyone above 18 years old would be eligible to receive vaccination.
However, people between the age group of 18 to 45, would not be eligible to receive vaccination at free of cost under the Central Government free vaccination program. The free vaccination provided by the Central Government is for people above 45 years old.
Stay tuned for further updates.
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