Mumbai, Apr 27 (IANS): Barely 72 hours before the ambitious phase of vaccination for 18-45 age groups begins from May 1, the Maharashtra government has started scouting around for getting sufficient quantities of the Covid-19 jabs, officials said here on Tuesday.

Health Department Principal Secretary Dr Pradeep Vyas has sent separate letters to Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawala and Bharat Biotech International Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Dr Krishna M. Ella to the effect.

He said that if the Maharashtra government decides to vaccinate its 18-45 age group population, estimated at around 5-crore, then it would require some 12-crore vaccine doses.

Vyas asked the two how many doses of Covishield (SII) and Covaxin (BBIL) vaccines the two companies could supply to the state government, per month over the next six months from May 2021 onwards.

The government has also sought details of the vaccine pricing and any other conditions the companies may have to enable the concerned authorities take a priority decision in the matter.

Recently, the two companies had announced their revised prices for the vaccine supplies in the domestic market.

The SII is supplying Covishield vaccine to states at Rs 400/dose and to private hospitals for Rs 600/dose, while BBIL is giving it at Rs 600/dose to state governments and Rs 1,200/dose to private hospitals.

The SII said that global vaccines in the private markets are available at much higher rates -- Rs 1,500/dose (American jabs), and Rs 750/dose (Russian and Chinese jabs), while BBIL said the company is exporting its vaccines at between $15-20/dose (roughly averaging to Rs 1,200/dose).