COVAXIN priced at Rs 600 a dose for states; Rs 1,200 a dose for private hospitals

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 24

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Bharat Biotech, the maker of indigenous COVID shot COVAXIN on Saturday said the vaccine would be priced at Rs 600 a dose for state governments, Rs 1,200 a dose for private hospitals and Rs 150 a dose for the Centre for the expanded inoculation drive starting May 1 when the new jab policy kicks in to cover all adults.

Bharat Biotech said it would export the vaccine for USD 15-20 a dose.

The announcement follows a similar declaration of pricing by Serum Institute of India, the manufacturer of Covishield which will cost Rs 400 a dose to state governments and Rs 600 a dose to private hospitals.

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Under the new vaccine policy from May 1, the Centre will offer free shots to health workers, frontline workers and anyone above 45 years of age at central government hospitals and facilities.

The policy requires vaccine makers to reserve 50 pc doses for the Centre and make the rest available to states and private hospitals from where anyone aged 18 to 45 years can access the inoculation.

The Congress has demanded uniform pricing for the Centre, states and private hospitals.

The Centre said it would continue to procure jabs for Rs 150 a dose and provide vaccines free of cost to state governments under a transparent formulate which will factor infections, coverage and vaccine wastage per state before giving them the supplies.

The new vaccine policy mandated vaccine makers to declare the prices at which they will offer the jabs to states and private facilities from May 1.

The Centre will not give vaccines to private hospitals from May 1.