Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The Union Health Ministry on April 22, 2021, evening, trashed some media reports suggesting that Serum Institute of India (SII) has contracted all its production till May 25, 2021, to the Centre, and therefore till that date the State governments will not be able to procure vaccine from SII. The Health Ministry said these media reports are based on incorrect facts and are without any basis.
The Union Health Ministry said that in order to expand and liberalise the countrywide vaccination drive, the Union Government had on April 19, 2021, announced the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy which would come into effect from May 1, 2021. A key feature of the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy is “ The Vaccine manufacturers would supply 50% of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to Govt. of India (GoI) and would be free to supply remaining 50% doses to State Governments and in the other than Govt. of India channel”, it said. The State governments are free to purchase the vaccine doses from the vaccine manufacturers, it said, according to a PIB release.
Therefore, it is very clear that every month out of the total CDL cleared doses available with any vaccine manufacturer, 50% doses would be available for other than Government of India channels, the Union Health Ministry stated..