The DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) has given emergency approval to single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light. The Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya has informed by tweeting on Sunday. The Health minister tweeted that the addition of the new vaccine will enhance the country’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. He tweeted that the Drugs Controller General of India has granted emergency use permission to the Single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine in India. This will be the 9th Covid-19 vaccine in the country.
DCGI has granted emergency use permission to Single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine in India.
This is the 9th #COVID19 vaccine in the country.
This will further strengthen the nation’s collective fight against the pandemic.
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) February 6, 2022
It is important to note that Sputnik V’s two-dose regimen has already been approved in April 2021 by DCGI. The RDIF (Russian Direct Investment Fund) has said that with this approval more than 2.5 billion people could access the Sputnik Light as a one-dose vaccine. This will be going to the universal booster.
The statement released by RDIF says that Sputnik Light has been registered in more than thirty countries. Sputnik light has been authorized as a universal booster in Argentina, Bahrain, San Marino. Philippines, UAE, and other countries.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, which the RDIF called was its major partner in the country, conducted the clinical trials of Sputnik Light. “Positive data from these trials have been presented to India’s regulator and contributed to the positive decision by DCGI,” the RDIF said. “Sputnik Light will add to India’s national vaccine portfolio and join Sputnik V, which was approved in the country in April 2021. India is the leading production hub for Sputnik V,” it added.
DCGI approval came after when India achieved 170 crore doses of COVID vaccination
The emergency approval to Sputnik Light came on the day when India has crossed the mark of 170 crores of vaccination. The website of the Union ministry of health and family welfare shows the latest data on vaccination. This data also includes the third precautionary dose of the COVID vaccine.