More than 2.18 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are available with States and Union Territories, and over 56,70,350 more are in the pipeline and will be received by them in the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.
More than 27.28 crore (27,28,31,900) doses have been provided to the States and Union Territories so far by the Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct State procurement category, the Ministry said.
Of this, the total consumption, including wastage, was 25,10,03,417 doses (as per data available at 8 a.m. on Thursday), the Ministry said, adding, “2,18,28,483 vaccine doses are still available with the States and Union Territories to be administered.”
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Central government had been supporting the States and Union Territories by providing them COVID-19 vaccines for free, the Health Ministry said. It had also been facilitating direct procurement by the States.
Key strategy
Vaccination was an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of the Government of India for containment and management of the pandemic, along with test, track, treat and following COVID-appropriate behaviour.
Implementation of the liberalised and accelerated phase-3 strategy of vaccination began from May 1, 2021.
Under the strategy, every month, 50% of the total Central Drugs Laboratory-cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the Government of India.
It would continue to make these doses available to the State governments totally free of cost as was being done earlier, the Ministry said.
