Lok Sabha Question No. 885 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-05
Subject: Procurement for COVID Vaccine
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, K. Muraleedharan, Faizal P.P. Mohammed, Uttam Kumar Nalamada Reddy, Kaushalendra Kumar, Amar Singh, M. Selvaraj, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 885 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH FEBRUARY, 2021

## PROCUREMENT FOR COVI D VACCINE

## 885. SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SI NGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH:

SHRI K. MURALEEDHARA N:

SHRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P.:

SHRI UTTAM KUMAR RED DY NALAMADA:

SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KU MAR:

DR. AMAR SINGH:

SHRI M. SELVARAJ:

SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKA R ULAKA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WE LFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)whether  any  criteria  has  been  adopted  by  his Ministry  to  select  and  procure  COVID - 19 vaccines  and if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  number  of  vaccines already  procured  by  the Government and the total cost of procurement;
- (b)  the number  of  vaccines  for  which  the  Government has  entered  into  pre - procurement agreements and the d tails of these agreements;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  vaccines  approved  for  use  in India  and  the  logistical  hurdles  in  the deployment of these vaccines, includin g storage and transportation;
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government to develop the necessary infrastructure to overcome these hurdles;
- (e)  the  measures  adopted  by  the  Government including  identification  and  prioritization  of recipients, pricing and d istribution of vaccines; and
- (f) timeframe within which the Government expects the vaccine to become available for the use of the general public and steps being taken to increase production of the vaccine in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) : Only two vaccines namely Covishield manufactured by M/s Serum Institute of India an Covaxin manufactured  by  M/s  Bharat  Biotech  International  Limited  have  been  granted permission for restricted use in emergency situation by the Drug Controller General of [DCG(I)]  so  far.  Therefore,  only  these  two  vaccines  have  been  procured  for  COVID - 19

vaccination drive in the country. A total of 165 lakh doses of COVID -19 vaccine have been procured so far of which 110 lakh doses are of Covishield and 55 lakh doses are of Co vaccine. The total cost of procurement of above mentioned doses of vaccines is INR 350.25 crore.

(b) : No Pre - procurement agreements have been entered into.

(c) : Only two vaccines have been approved for rest icted use in emergency situation in India. There  are  no  logistical  hurdles  in  the  deployment  of  these  vaccines,  including storage  and transportation.

(d) : The existing infrastructure under Universal Immmunization Programme is being used an simultaneously strengthened for deployment of vaccines, including storage and transportati

(e) : A National Expert Group on Vacc ine Administration for COVID - 19 (NEGVAC) has been established,  which  provides  guidance  on  all  aspects  of  COVID - 19  vaccination  including prioritization of population groups, procurement and inventory management, vaccine selec vaccine delivery  and trac king mechanism etc.

(f) :The introduction of the vaccine is being taken up in a phased manner starting with p groups  of  Health  Care  Workers  and  Front  Line  Workers,  Subsequent  to  this,  NEGVAC recommends covering prioritized groups of persons aged 50 years and above and those aged less than 50 years with comorbidities.

A  'Task  Force  on Focused  Research on  Corona  Vaccine  and  other  Science  and Technology  Issues'  chaired  by  Principal  Scientific  Advisor  (PSA)  is  facilitating  research  and development of va ccines, drugs, diagnostics and other related issues.