India on August 31 administered more than 1.09 crore COVID-vaccine doses, which the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted “is a new vaccination milestone.”
In total over 65 crore doses have been administered so far in the country.
India had achieved the one-crore doses milestone for the first time on August 27. In his tweet, Mr Mandaviya said: “Congratulations, as India administers another one crore COVID19 vaccinations today. Highest one-day record of 1.09 crore vaccine doses achieved till 6 pm and still counting!”
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday noted that more than 64.36 crore (64,36,13,160) vaccine doses have been provided to States and Union Territories so far through Central Government’s free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category.
It added that nearly 15 lakh doses (14,94,040) are in the pipeline and more than 5.42 crore (5,42,30,546) balance and unutilised COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States and UTs to be administered.
Meanwhile in a statement released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, the former co-chairs of the Independent Panel on Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR), Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former president of Liberia, and Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, have expressed their deep concern at the slow pace of redistribution of COVID-19 vaccines from high income to low-income countries.
“The Independent Panel report recommended that high-income countries ensure that at least one billion doses of vaccines available to them were redistributed to 92 low- and middle-income countries by 1 September, and a further one billion doses by mid-2022,” the statement said.
“High-income countries have ordered over twice as many doses as are needed for their populations. Now is the time to show solidarity with those who have not yet been able to vaccinate their frontline health workers and most vulnerable populations. Reaching the goal of redistributing one billion doses by 1 September would be a vital step in protecting the five billion people aged 15 and over who live in low- and middle-income countries. The 600 million doses which have already been pledged now need to be delivered with urgency,” the co-chairs said.
