<p>The Union Health Ministry on Friday claimed that Bharat Biotech produced one crore doses of Covaxin in April, contradicting its own legal affidavit that mentioned a monthly production of two crore doses of the homegrown vaccine.</p>.<p>"The current production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin vaccine will be doubled by May-June 2021 and then increased nearly 6-7 fold by July - August 2021 i.e. increasing the production from one crore vaccine doses in April, 2021 to 6-7 crore vaccine doses/month in July – August. It is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by September 2021," the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.</p>.<p>But in an affidavit in the Kerala High Court earlier this week, the Union government had stated, “Bharat Biotech has increased production from 90 lakh per month to two crore doses per month and further increase is expected up to 5.5 crore doses per month by July 2021.”</p>.<p>A Bharat Biotech spokesperson told <em>DH</em> that the April production was two crore doses.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/covaxin-manufacturing-to-vaccination-takes-4-months-says-bharat-biotech-991133.html" target="_blank">Covaxin manufacturing to vaccination takes 4 months, says Bharat Biotech</a></strong></p>.<p>While there is no immediate clarification from the ministry on the discrepancy, the government in a statement said it took time for harvesting and quality testing of a vaccine. “This can’t be done overnight to ensure a safe product. Thus an increase in manufacturing capacity needs to be a guided process and an increase in gross production does not translate to immediate supply.”</p>.<p>As on May 28, the Hyderabad-based company supplied 2,76,66,860 vaccine doses to the central government, of which 2,20,89,880 doses including wastage have been consumed by the states. 55,76,980 doses are available with the states. In addition, private hospitals also received 13,65,760 doses of Covaxin in May.</p>.<p>In the remaining few days of May an additional 21,54,440 doses of Covaxin are to be supplied, which would take the total supply of the indigenous vaccine including the pipeline to 3,11,87,060 doses. Almost 90,00,000 doses are committed for the month of June by the manufacturer.</p>
<p>The Union Health Ministry on Friday claimed that Bharat Biotech produced one crore doses of Covaxin in April, contradicting its own legal affidavit that mentioned a monthly production of two crore doses of the homegrown vaccine.</p>.<p>"The current production capacity of indigenously developed Covaxin vaccine will be doubled by May-June 2021 and then increased nearly 6-7 fold by July - August 2021 i.e. increasing the production from one crore vaccine doses in April, 2021 to 6-7 crore vaccine doses/month in July – August. It is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by September 2021," the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.</p>.<p>But in an affidavit in the Kerala High Court earlier this week, the Union government had stated, “Bharat Biotech has increased production from 90 lakh per month to two crore doses per month and further increase is expected up to 5.5 crore doses per month by July 2021.”</p>.<p>A Bharat Biotech spokesperson told <em>DH</em> that the April production was two crore doses.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/covaxin-manufacturing-to-vaccination-takes-4-months-says-bharat-biotech-991133.html" target="_blank">Covaxin manufacturing to vaccination takes 4 months, says Bharat Biotech</a></strong></p>.<p>While there is no immediate clarification from the ministry on the discrepancy, the government in a statement said it took time for harvesting and quality testing of a vaccine. “This can’t be done overnight to ensure a safe product. Thus an increase in manufacturing capacity needs to be a guided process and an increase in gross production does not translate to immediate supply.”</p>.<p>As on May 28, the Hyderabad-based company supplied 2,76,66,860 vaccine doses to the central government, of which 2,20,89,880 doses including wastage have been consumed by the states. 55,76,980 doses are available with the states. In addition, private hospitals also received 13,65,760 doses of Covaxin in May.</p>.<p>In the remaining few days of May an additional 21,54,440 doses of Covaxin are to be supplied, which would take the total supply of the indigenous vaccine including the pipeline to 3,11,87,060 doses. Almost 90,00,000 doses are committed for the month of June by the manufacturer.</p>
