New Delhi:
Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech, under fire over supply-related issues, today said it has dispatched the Covid vaccine to several states like Kerala, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Odisha. “Our work is highly stringent, realtime and technical, no work from home,” tweeted Suchitra Ella, the Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director of the Hyderabad-based company.
“Covaxin goes to Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru & Bhuvneshwar. thank all our employees @ BHarat bio who worked through the holy month of Ramzan. Eid Mubarak to all your family’s and God Bless,” Ms Ella said in a tweet.
Earlier, in a late-night tweet, she had informed that the vaccine has been sent to Kerala and Uttarakhand.
“Covaxin sent to Kerala and Uttarakhand. Thanq for the concern, many offered to help. Our work is highly stringent, realtime & technical,no work from home! All Our employees will be taken care of, won’t deter us from our mission! Let’s be thankful, helpful and hopeful always,” she tweeted.
Covaxin goes to Gandhinagar , Guwahati , Chennai , Hyderabad , Bengaluru & Bhuvneshwar. I thank all our employees @ BHarat bio who worked thru the holy month of Ramzan Eid Mubarak to all your family’s & God Bless https://t.co/MIVuHsMrtG
– suchitra ella (@SuchitraElla) May 14, 2021
Ms Ella, however, did not provide details on the quantity of supplies to these states.
The firm has come under fire over supply-related issues with the Delhi government alleging that it had refused to supply doses “under instructions” from the central government. “The Covaxin manufacturer has, in a letter, said it cannot provide Delhi government vaccines due to unavailability, under instructions of the concerned government official. It means that the central government is controlling the supply of the vaccine,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged at a digital press meet on Wednesday.
Ms Ella had then, in a tweet, said it was quite disheartening to listen to some states complaining about the company’s intentions regarding supply of Covaxin. Bharat Biotech was working to meet the demands despite “50 of our employees are off work due to Covid”, she had said.
The central government and Bharat Biotech are willing to invite other companies which want to produce Covaxin to help scale up production, according to a top government advisor.
“People 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,” NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul said.