States to receive seven lakh additional COVID-19 vaccine doses: Centre
More than 90 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs which will receive over seven lakh additional doses in the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. The Centre has so far provided more than 18 crore vaccine doses (18,00,03,160) to states and UTs free of cost. Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 17,09,71,429 doses.
Over 90 lakh doses still available with states and UTs
"More than 90 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses (90,31,691) 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 Armed Forces," the ministry said. States and UTs will receive 7,29,610 additional vaccine doses in addition within the next three days.
'States and UTs have been given vaccines free of cost'
The ministry said the Government of India has been supporting the nationwide vaccination drive by providing COVID-19 vaccines free of cost to states and UTs. Implementation of the Liberalized and Accelerated Phase 3 Strategy of COVID-19 Vaccination has started from May 1, 2021, it said.
Centre will continue to procure 50% of doses every month
In the strategy, it is made clear that every month 50 percent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the Centre. The Centre would continue to procure its share of 50 percent of monthly CDL cleared vaccines and would continue to make it available to state governments free of cost as being done earlier.
India has recorded over 2.26 crore cases, 2.46 lakh deaths
Meanwhile, till Monday morning, India had reported a total of 2,26,62,575 COVID-19 cases. The death toll has reached 2,46,116, according to the Union Health Ministry. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1,86,71,222 patients have recovered, while 37,45,237 cases involve active infections. India on Tuesday saw a decline in coronavirus infections, reporting 3.2 lakh new cases. 17,01,76,603 vaccine doses have been administered so far.
