Centre places orders for 44 crore doses of Covishield & Covaxin after PM announces new vaccine policy

Decision to return to centralised procurement of vaccines result of high-level internal reviews of the liberalised vaccine policy on May 15 and 21, Niti Aayog’s VK Paul

Beneficiaries not adhering to social distancing norms wait in a long queue to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, at a vaccination centre, near Balurghat in South Dinajpur district on Tuesday. PTI photo

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 8

A day after prime minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to revert to centralised procurement of Covid-19 vaccines for free supply to states from June 21, the Government placed an order of 44 crore doses—25 crore with the Serum Institute of India and 19 crore with Bharat Biotech—for supplies starting August.

Member, Health, NITI Aayog VK Paul said the country already had 53.6 crore doses available for administration until July and the two Indian manufacturers have been given 30 per cent advance funds to supply 44 crore doses for the national programme from August until December.

Responding to the narrative that the PM announced a return to centralised procurement in the wake of apex court orders on the Indian vaccine policy, Paul said the government respected the SC orders but the return to the old policy was a result of internal review meetings the PM took on May 15 and 21. “Review of the policy started from May 1 when it was implemented. Thirteen states and UTs requested the PM to revert to the old system, among them Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan and Odisha,” said the expert.

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The placement of new vaccine orders came simultaneously to the Ministry of Health on Tuesday issuing revised Covid vaccine guidelines under which states would not have to do any procurement.

The Centre will buy 75 per cent monthly vaccines produced in India and supply these free to states for further free administration to the following priority groups—health and frontline workers, 45 plus people, those whose second doses are due and those above 18 years.

Free doses will be administered at government centres across states which will have the freedom to sub-prioritize the 18 to 44 year age group. Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday said it will first inoculate mothers whose kids are under 5 years old.

The government Monday also announced a special provision of electronic vouchers which people can buy for anyone they want to support in private vaccination. Vaccine manufacturers will continue to supply up to 25 pc of monthly production to private hospitals with the Centre today saying that the states would have to aggregate the demands of private hospitals to ensure a regional balance.

Right now 9000 private hospitals are conducting vaccinations while India has over 25000 private facilities.

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The private hospitals will not charge more than Rs 150 a dose as service charge and the manufacturers will have to make advance declaration of prices before private procurement of jabs.

Paul assured people on Tuesday that vaccine availability won’t be an issue starting August.

“The challenge then would be the absorption of doses and enhancement of the pace of vaccination,” Paul said, adding that the government had confidence in SII and Bharat Biotech’s ability to deliver the doses.

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The government also said prices for procurement of vaccines would now be renegotiated.

“All citizens irrespective of income status will be entitled to free vaccines. Those who have the ability to pay are encouraged to use private hospital vaccine centres. If someone wants to help anyone get vaccinated in the private sector, a non transferable e voucher will be made available. People can buy the voucher in the name of a certain person who can use it to get private vaccination,” Paul said.