India probing claim of counterfeit versions of Covishield: Union Min

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said the government has launched an inquiry into a report claiming that counterfeit versions of Covishield, India's primary anti-COVID-19 vaccine, had been seized. "It has been claimed that duplicate versions of Covishield vaccine were sold in the country. The Indian government is probing this claim, and will take action if it finds any substance to the allegations," he told reporters in Rajkot.

The report about counterfeit vaccines allegedly being seized quoted the World Health Organization. Mandaviya, who was recently elevated as health minister, also said that three more vaccines for adults would be available in India soon. "At present three vaccines are available in India - Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik. In the coming days, three more vaccines would arrive, including one from Zydus Cadila. The other two will be from Genova and Biological Evans," he said.

On the Union government's plan to tackle a possible third wave of the pandemic, he said it has already earmarked Rs 23,000 crore for the purpose. "We have planned to keep a buffer stock of medicines worth Rs 1 crore in each district along with one cryogenic tank for the supply of medical oxygen. We have also planned to deploy one ambulance at a block level. Hospitals have been instructed to reserve beds for COVID-19 patients and have separate beds for infected children," he said. Mandaviya took out 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' from Rajkot on Thursday and visited Virpur and Khodaldham temples on the first day of the tour.

The BBC had reported that the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it has identified counterfeit versions of Covishield, which were seized by authorities in India and Africa between July and August. It also said the vaccine's maker, the Serum Institute of India, confirmed that the doses were fake. The WHO warned that fake vaccines "pose a serious risk to global public health". It called for their removal from circulation.

Covishield is the Indian-made version of AstraZeneca's jab and is the most widely used vaccine in India with more than 486 million doses administered so far. Serum had supplied millions of Covishield vaccines to countries in Asia, Africa and South America, as part of deals that were inked with various governments and the global Covax scheme for poorer countries.