New Delhi, May 29 (IANS): Amid a shortage of Covid vaccine jabs in the country, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Friday said that the production capacity will reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by September.

"The current production capacity of Covaxin will be doubled by May-June 2021 and then increased nearly 6-7 fold by July/August i.e.from 1 crore vaccines in April, to 6-7 crore vaccines in July/August. It is expected to reach nearly 10 crore doses per month by September 2021," it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry clarified that the reports claiming Bharat Biotech is producing 6 crore Covaxin doses per month are false. "Some unfound reports on unaccounted vaccine doses of Bharat Biotech having 6 crore doses is an error of comprehension. These reports are incorrect and are not supported by full information on the matter," as per the statement.

The ministry said that as of Friday, "Bharat Biotech has supplied 2,76,66,860 vaccine doses to the Centre. Out of these, 2,20,89,880 doses including wastage, have been consumed by all the states/UTs in the ongoing Covid 19 Vaccination drive. With this, the balance available doses of vaccines with States/UTs are 55,76,980 doses. Private hospitals have also received 13,65,760 doses of Covaxin in the same month over and above what has been supplied to the GoI and the states."

In May, an additional 21,54,440 doses of Covaxin are to be supplied. This takes the total vaccine supplied and in pipeline till date to 3,11,87,060 doses. Almost 90,00,000 doses are committed for the month of June by the manufacturer.

According to the ministry, the cumulative number of Covid vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 20.86 crore.