Centre buys 35.1 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines for Rs 5,974.50 crore

The health ministry rejected reports which claimed that the Centre has not placed any fresh order for Covid-19 vaccines

The Centre has procured 18.6 crore Covid-19 vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- at a cost of Rs 3,375.75 crore while it is in the process of buying another 16.5 crore doses at a cost of Rs 2,598.75 crore, according to an RTI.

Altogether, this would come to 35.1 crore doses worth Rs 5,974.50 crore, the Ministry of Health and Family said in response to queries filed by Commodore Lokesh Batra (retired).

Initially, the Covid-19 Vaccination Administration Cell (CVAC) in the Ministry said in the response submitted on May 2 that the government bought 5.6 crore doses of Covishield from Serum Institute of India at a cost of Rs 210, including GST, per dose using the PM-CARES fund. Similarly, another one crore doses of Covaxin, manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Ltd, was bought at a cost of Rs 309.75, including GST, per dose.

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For these 6.6 crore doses, the government spent Rs 1,485 crore from PM-CARES.

However, the RTI reply showed that, at present , the government has procured both the Covid-19 vaccines through the Union Budget at the unit cost of Rs 157.50, including GST. Ten crore Covishield and two crore Covaxin were bought under this scheme for which the government spent Rs 1,880 crore.

"Further, the Government of India through Union Budget is procuring the Covid-19 vaccines (Covishield 11 crore doses and Covaxin 5.5 crore doses) at the unit cost of Rs 157.50, including taxes (Rs 150 + 5% GST)," the RTI response stated.

The procurement and vaccination of Covid-19 vaccine is an ongoing process, it added.

Separately, the Ministry rejected reports which claimed that the Centre has not placed any fresh order for Covid-19 vaccines and the last time it did was in March 2021 for 100 million doses of Covishield and 20 million doses of Covaxin.

It said 100% advance of Rs 1732.50 crore (after TDS Rs 1699.50 crore) was released to Serum Institute of India (SII) on April 28 for 11 crore doses of Covishield during May, June and July.

As on date, against the last order of 10 crore doses for supplies of Covishield vaccine, 8.744 crore doses have been delivered till May 3.

Additionally, 100% advance of Rs 787.50 crore (after TDS Rs. 772.50 crore) was released on April 28 to Bharat Biotech India Ltd for five crore Covaxin doses during May, June and July. As of date, the last order of two crore doses for supplies of Covaxin vaccine, 0.8813 crore doses have been delivered till May 3.

It also said the Centre has provided more 16.54 crore vaccine doses to states free of cost. More than 78 lakh doses are still available with the states to be administered. In addition , more than 56 lakh doses will be received by the states in the next three days.