More than 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the States and the Union Territories, while nearly 51 lakh doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.
The Centre had so far provided more than 20 crore vaccine doses (20,28,09,250) to the States and UTs free of cost, it added.
Of this, the total consumption, calculated based on an average up to May 14, including wastage, was 18,43,67,772 doses, according to the data available at 7 p.m. on Saturday. “More than 1.84 crore COVID vaccine doses [1,84,41,478] are still available with the States and UTs to be administered. States with negative balance are showing more consumption [including wastage] than vaccine supplied as they have not reconciled the vaccine they have supplied to the Armed Forces,” the Ministry said.
It said 50,95,640 vaccine doses was in the pipeline and would be received by the States and UTs within the next three days.
Vaccination forms an integral component of the comprehensive strategy of the Indian government for the containment and management of the pandemic (including Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour). The Centre has been supporting the nationwide vaccination drive by providing COVID-19 vaccines free of cost to the States and UTs, in addition to several efforts to ramp up its production and supply, the Ministry stated.
The implementation of the liberalised and accelerated Phase 3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination started from May 1, as part of which the government had opened up inoculation for all above the age of 18.
Under the strategy, 50% of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL)-cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the Centre every month. It would continue to make these doses available to State governments free of cost as was being done earlier.
