Receiving flak over the presumption that people might end up paying far more for a Covid shot from May 1, the Centre on Saturday tried to clarify that vaccines procured by it would be provided free to States. However, the statement by the Centre was silent on the higher prices of jabs sourced by States and private hospitals directly from the manufacturers even though the Serum Institute of India, maker of Covishield, justified the rate saying that it remained “the most affordable Covid-19 vaccine available in the market today”.
“It is clarified that the Government of India’s procurement price for both Covid-19 vaccines remains `150 per dose. GOI procured doses will continue to be provided TOTALLY FREE to states,” the Ministry of Health tweeted.
On the other hand, the SII said that Covishield coronavirus vaccine - to be sold at `600 per dose to private hospitals, at `400 to States and `150 to the Centre from May 1, when vaccination opens to everyone over the age of 18 is not costly.
“Only a limited portion of SII’s volume will be sold to private hospitals at `600 per dose. The price of the vaccine is still lower than a lot of other medical treatment and essentials required to treat Covid-19 and other life-threatening diseases,” the SII said in its statement.
“The initial prices (of Covishield) were kept very low globally as it was based on advance funding given by those countries for at-risk vaccine manufacturing. The initial supply price for all Government immunisation programmes, including India, has been the lowest,” the company added.
The company also said that while the current situation is “dire; the virus is constantly mutating while the public remains at risk... we have to ensure sustainability as we must be able to invest in scaling up and expanding our capacity to fight the pandemic and save lives.
There had been reports that at `600 a dose, people in India could pay the most, of any other country, for Covishield at private hospitals.
Those getting their shots at state-run hospitals could end up paying the full `400 per dose if states decide they cannot absorb the costs of procuring fresh doses directly from the makers, reports had alleged.