HMD sends first shipment of 56 million syringes to Covax facility

Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices on Wednesday said it has sent the first shipment of 56 million auto-disable syringes to Covax facility to help in Covid-19 vaccination.

The Covax facility, which is working for global equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, has ordered 140 million KOJAK AD Syringes from Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices (HMD) to be supplied between August and December 2020, it said.

"We have shipped out more than 56 million pieces of 5 ml auto disabled (AD) syringes for intramuscular syringes to Covax facility and will soon send the next shipment of 28 million Syringes by October end," HMD Managing Director Rajiv Nath said.

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About the availability of the syringes in India, Nath said: "Should the government need 100 million KOJAK auto-disable syringes for Covid-19 vaccines by the end of this year, we can easily offer them to lift the outstanding orders placed with us".

As India gets ready for Covid-19 vaccine, the government should be well equipped with a secured stock of syringes in advance to administer a vaccine when it is approved and ready, HMD said.

Covax facility is a global initiative that brings together governments and manufacturers to ensure eventual Covid-19 vaccines reach those in greatest need, whoever they are and wherever they live.