Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine could be available in India from next week: NITI Aayog

Amid reports of the shortage of Covid19 vaccine in various states Sputnik vaccine has arrived in India and hopefully it will be available in the market from next week said Dr VK Paul member health of the NITI Aayog on ThursdaySputnik vaccine has arrived in India Im happy to say that were hopeful that itll be available in the market next week Were hopeful that the sale of the limited supply that has come from there Russia will begin next week said Dr Paul while addressing mediaHe said the production of Sputnik is scheduled to begin in India by July Further supply will also follow Its production will begin in July and it is estimated that 156 crore doses will be manufactured in that period Dr Paul saidAlso read Centre extends gap between two doses of Covishield from 68 weeks to 1216 weeksNotably Sputnik V is the third vaccine India has given goahead to after Covishield developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and Covaxin the indigenous vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech Covishield is manufactured by the Serum Institute of IndiaMeanwhile Russian scientists claimed the Phase 3 trial of Sputnik V Covid19 vaccine is clear transparent and fully complies with the regulatory standards that exist for provision of clinical trial data said a report in IANSClear and transparent regulatory standards exist for provision of clinical trial data including data reported in clinical study reports that are considered sufficient for regulatory review and approvals The reporting of the interim analysis in the Phase 3 Sputnik V clinical trial fully complies with those standards said scientists from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in MoscowTalking about the Central governments move to increase the availability of Covid19 vaccines the NITI Aayog member said that overall 216 crore doses of vaccines will be manufactured in India between August and December for India and for IndiansThere should be no doubt that vaccine will be available for all as we move forwardAny vaccine that is approved by FDA WHO can come to India Import license will be granted within 12 days No import license is pending he addedHe further informed that the Department of Biotechnology along with other concerned departments and the Ministry of External Affairs MEA has been in touch with Pfizer Moderna Johnson and Johnson from the initial days of vaccine productionThey were officially asked if they would like to send doses to or manufacture in India We will find partners and assist They had said that they are working in their own way and they would talk of vaccine availability in the third quarter in 2021 We are connected to them Im hopeful that they will step forward to increase availability in India We invite them to manufacture here along with our companies Johnson and Johnson did a good job They accepted this offer under Quad Dr Paul saidIn the US the number stands around 26 crores So India stands in the third position We are happy to report that onethird of 45 and above are protected 45 and above age group contributes to 88 per cent of deaths So you can imagine how many dents it would have made to reduce the risk of death of this population the NITI Aayog member addedDr Paul also informed that Bharat Biotech has welcomed the offer of other companies manufacturing Covaxin to increase its production in the countryPeople say that Covaxin should be given to other companies for manufacturing I am happy to say that Covaxin manufacturing company Bharat Biotech has welcomed this when we discussed it with them Under this vaccine a live virus is inactivated and this is done only in BSL3 labs Not every company has this We give an open invitation to companies who want to do this Companies that want to manufacture Covaxin should do it together The government will assist so that capacity is increased he said