The roll-out of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V, which was expected from June 20 in Delhi at three private hospitals, has been delayed by more than a week due to supply lag from Dr Reddy’s, sources told The Statesman.

As per the sources, Dr Reddy’s, which is authorised to distribute the Russian Covid-19 jabs to different hospitals, have not supplied enough doses to the hospitals.

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The hospitals said that their headquarters have not received both the doses of the Russian vaccine, which are prescribed to be given at the interval of 21 days to its beneficiaries.

The delay has caused Madhukar Rainbow Children Hospital to reschedule the roll-out date of Sputnik V to June 29.

“We didn’t get enough doses for our quota that’s why our rollout at Delhi branch has been delay beyond a week,” a senior official from the hospital told The Statesman.

Apart from Madhukar Rainbow, the rollout was expected at Indraprastha Apollo and Manipal Hospital. While they confirmed The Statesman about the delay in the Sputnik’s rollout, no clarity has been received from both the hospitals so far about when they will announce the next date.

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 down when the local manufacturing starts, Dr Reddy’s hinted last month.

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.