Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine likely to be available at Delhi`s Indraprastha Apollo Hospital from June 15

New Delhi: The Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V is likely to be available at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi from June 15, as per the reports.

However, the Sputnik V rollout will depend on whether or not the vaccine consignment reaches on time in the national capital.

According to ANI report, as many as 1000 doses of Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V reached the Apollo Hospital in Delhi on Sunday, out of which, over 179 doses were administered to the employees of Dr Reddy’s lab.

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has partnered with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for the rollout of the two-dose vaccine in India.

Additionally, the first phase of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine rollout by Apollo Hospitals and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories had started on May 17 in Hyderabad and on May 18 in Vishakhapatnam. In Hyderabad, Sputnik V is also available at Continental Hospitals. 

The Centre has fixed the price of the Sputnik V vaccine at private hospitals at Rs 1,410 per dose. The government on June 10 had revealed that the efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine during a vaccination campaign by Bahrain’s Ministry of Health was estimated to be at 94.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted permission to the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) to manufacture the Russian COVID-19 vaccine in India. Serum Institute has collaborated with Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow in Russia for developing Sputnik V vaccine at its licensed Hadapsar facility.

For the time being, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories will continue to import the Sputnik V vaccine in India. However, people need to note that the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V has not yet received approval in the emergency use listing by WHO.