The Ministry of Science and Technology announced Mission COVID Suraksha to accelerate the development and production of indigenous COVID vaccines in the country.
Under this mission, the Department of Biotechnology will provide financial support to vaccine manufacturing facilities.
In a press statement released on Friday, 16 April, the government said that the current production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin will be doubled by May-June 2021 and then increased nearly 6-7 fold by July-August 2021. It is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by Sep 2021.
Grants to the tune of around Rs 65 crore will be provided to Bharat Biotech’s new Bangalore facility, which is being repurposed to increase the capacity of vaccine production, the press note said.
Three public sector companies are also being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production.
Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, Mumbai – a state PSE in Maharashtra – Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), Hyderabad – a facility under the National Dairy Development Board – and Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Limited (BIBCOL), Bulandshahr – a CPSE under the Department of Biotechnology – will be readied to expedite the process of manufacturing vaccines.
The Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals Ltd facility will have a capacity of 20 million doses per month, once functional.
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