Over 23 crore COVID-19 doses provided to states: Health Ministry

New Delhi, June 02: As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost, the Health Ministry said.

In addition, the Govt. of India has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the States/UTs. Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of Government of India for containment and management of the pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour, the ministry also said.

Implementation of the Liberalized and Accelerated Phase-3 Strategy of Covid-19 Vaccination has started from 1st May 2021.

Under the Strategy, in every month 50% of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by Govt. of India. It would continue to make these doses available to the State Govts totally free of cost as was being done earlier.

Government of India has so far provided, both through the free of cost category and through direct state procurement category, more than 23 crore vaccine doses (23,35,86,960) to States/UTs.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 21,71,44,022 doses (as per data available at 8 AM today).

More than 1.64 crore COVID Vaccine doses (1,64,42,938) are still available with the States/UTs to be administered, the ministry said.