Despite India being one of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturers, the country is struggling to vaccinate its own people against the COVID-19 disease. Amid the complaints regarding vaccine shortage from various states, the Central government and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in a bid to scale up the country’s vaccine production are willing to invite other companies who want to produce indigenously developed Covaxin.
The decision is purely taken in order to increase India’s capacity to scale up the production of COVID-19 vaccines. NITI Aayog Member, Dr. VK Paul while announcing the decision in the press conference also said that the Central government will provide all possible assistance to companies willing to manufacture the vaccine to ramp up its supply.
As per reports, Dr. Paul said, “People say that Covaxin formula should be given to other companies as well for manufacturing to increase the production. I am happy to say that Bharat Biotech, the Covaxin manufacturing company has welcomed the decision when we discussed it with them.”
While mentioning this, he further stressed that while government and manufacturing company are ready to invite other companies for production, it is important to note that COVAXIN can only be produced in the Biosafety level 3 (BSL3) labs as under this vaccine, a live virus present in an inactivated form and this can only be done using in BSL3 labs.
The decision came after several leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, wrote to the Prime minister urging Centre to facilitate the transfer of technology of producing Covaxin to other companies to enhance the production of vaccine as almost every state in India was facing vaccine shortage.