AGENCIES / New Delhi
Serum Institute of India has decided to reduce its vaccine Covishield’s procurement price for states from Ra 400 to Rs 300 a dose—a development that comes after India’s vaccine makers faced backlash over their prices as registration opened for people over 18.
SII’s Chief Executive Office Adar Poonawalla said in a tweet that the company, one of India’s leading vaccine maker, had brought down the price of the Oxford vaccine after a meeting with the central government.
“As a philanthropic gesture on behalf of @SerumInstIndia, I hereby reduce the price to the states from Rs.400 to Rs.300 per dose, effective immediately; this will save thousands of crores of state funds going forward. This will enable more vaccinations and save countless lives,” the tweet said.
He said nothing about prices at which private hospitals could buy it, which presumably remains the same at Rs 600 a dose.
India’s other vaccine maker making COVID vaccines, Bharat Biotech, is expected to follow suit. The vaccine maker, whose COVAXIN was developed in association with Indian Council for Medical Research, India’s leading medical research fraternity, had announced its new vaccine prices earlier this week—Rs 600 for states and double that, Rs 1,200, for private hospitals.
The prices have drawn significant backlash in India.
The development comes as the country faces an unprecedented and crippling health crisis that has swamped its healthcare facilities.
A similar lowering of prices or expected from Bharat Biotech for COVAXIN. Opposition states have been demanding uniformity in vaccine pricing, with SII charging the Centre Rs 150 a dose for the pre-booked orders.