Manipal Hospitals have joined the list of private players where the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V will be rolled out in mass immunisation against the viral illness.

The sources informed The Statesman that the chain of hospitals is expected to receive the doses of Sputnik V within two days at its headquarters based in Bengaluru, from where the doses will be passed on to different branches.

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“Our Delhi unit will be allotted further from that dispatch,” a senior official from the hospital said.

Manipal’s Hospital based in the Dwarka area of the national capital is expected to receive the Russian vaccine’s jabs by end of the week, the official added.

Earlier, two private hospitals–Indraprastha Apollo and Madhukar Rainbow Children Hospital–had confirmed that the Sputnik V will be available for the general public at their vaccination sites from June 20 onwards.

However, the private healthcare conglomerate did not reveal the number of doses it will be receiving from Russia’s local manufacturer in India.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories is currently providing the imported doses of Sputnik V in India. The Hyderabad based firm has a contract (manufacture and distribution) of 250 million vaccine units with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

The vaccine is being purchased at Rs 995 per dose by the private hospitals including 5 per cent GST.

After the new pricing policy from the Centre, a single dose of the Sputnik will be sold to the general public at a maximum price of Rs 1,145 which includes Rs 150 of the service charge that the private vaccination centres may levy over the vaccine’s cost.

However, the Sputnik V’s cost may come when the local manufacturing starts, Dr Reddy’s hinted last month.

“The current MRP of Rs. 948+5 per cent GST is for the imported doses. We are not able to provide a specific number but as indicated, once local manufacturing of Sputnik V begins, we do expect the possibility of a lower price point,” the company’s spokesperson told the media in May.

According to the company, the availability of the vaccines will ramp up in the next quarter. Around 60 to 70 per cent of the vaccines will be made in India and most of them will be used in the country itself.

Other sites of production of the Sputnik V vaccines are – Hetero Biologics, Virchow Biotech, Panacea Pharma, Gland Pharma, Stelis Biopharma and Shilpa Medicare.