Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine — Sputnik V — is finding takers in the private sector with hospitals like Indraprastha Apollo, Fortis Healthcare and Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital starting administering the jab to people.
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has started inoculation with Sputnik V, as part of the soft launch in India after it obtained regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory. In April, Sputnik V received an emergency use authorization in India.
Reddy’s administered the first dose of the vaccine in India in Hyderabad under a limited pilot on May 14. The vaccine is currently priced at $12.9 (Rs948) plus tax for one dose in India. This price is expected to reduce after local supply commences.
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories co-chairman and managing director G V Prasad said: “With the rising cases in India, vaccination is our most effective tool in our battle against Covid-19.
Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram and Fortis Hospital, Mohali have decided to launch it as part of a limited pilot roll-out from June, 19 2021. The two-dose vaccine will be available at two hospitals -. In the coming days, the vaccine will be available at more Fortis hospitals across 11 cities as part of the phase-wise pilot project.
Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD and CEO, Fortis Healthcare, said, “Till date, our units were only providing Covaxin and Covishield. We are the first to provide a third vaccine option, at Fortis Memorial Research Institute and Fortis Hospital Mohali, with the dual objective of expanding and scaling up the vaccination drive and lowering the infection risks to future mutations of the virus.”
Sputnik V has been developed by Russia’s Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has partnered with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for the roll out of the two-dose vaccine in India.