India is one of the leading vaccine suppliers to the world with Indian vaccine manufacturers sending more than one billion shots abroad every year. There are eight vaccine candidates that could be made in India.
On Tuesday, India received a special delivery from Moscow. The containers contain vials of the Sputnik V the Russian vaccine that’s undergoing trials in India. Russia will supply 100 million doses of Sputnik V to India.
There are more than 100 vaccine candidates under development across the world out of this eight are the most promising. They include Serum Institute’s Covishield, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V, India’s Covaxin, Zycovd from Zydus Cadilla, shot from biological e and Gennova biopharmaceutical’s vaccine.
According to data from the Duke University, India has access to a potential 1.6 billion doses presuming most vaccines need two shots, the supply covers nearly 60 per cent of India’s population.
One billion doses are from Novavax – the American biotech company. Novavax has signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to produce these shots. The same company that will supply 500 million doses of the Oxford vaccine. The remaining 100 million shots will be of Sputnik V.
The makers of this Russian vaccine have tied up with Dr Reddys and pharma company Hetero. India has set ambitious targets for its vaccine rollout by July 2021, India plans to vaccinate one out of five Indians that means 200 to 250 million citizens would be in line to get the shot.
The Indian government would need 400 to 500 million vaccine shots to achieve the target but India is in a good position to meet this target because of its status as the world’s leading vaccine maker.
Indian vaccine makers supply 40 per cent of the global capacity. India produces 2.3 billion doses of vaccines annually out of this 74 per cent are meant for export. India now has a major responsibility on its shoulders, it not only has to provide enough vaccines for its citizens but Indian vaccine makers also have to pitch in to fill in the global supply gaps.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi says a cheap yet effective vaccine is coming soon. The world’s eyes are now on New Delhi’s next move.
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