Centre provides over 49 cr vaccine doses to states, UTs so far; 3 crore still unutilised
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New Delhi: Over 49.49 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been provided to States and Union Territories (UTs) so far, through all sources, and a further 8,04,220 doses are in the pipeline, informed the Union Health Ministry on Sunday.
Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 46,70,26,662 doses (as per the data available at 8 a.m. on Sunday)," an official statement said.
Asserting its commitment to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country, the Centre added that over 3 crore (3,00,58,190) unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and Union Territories and private hospitals to be administered.
The Centre in the official statement pointed out that the vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
The new phase of universalization of Covid-19 vaccination commenced on June 21. In the new phase of the universalization of the Covid19 vaccination drive, the Central Government will procure and supply free of cost 75% of the vaccines to the States and Union Territories which are being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country, added the Health Ministry.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has not set an explicit timeline to fully vaccinate everyone over 18 years of age, it has said that enough doses will be made available by December 2021 to cover all adult population.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday said that over 13 crore vaccines have been administered in July and the vaccination drive will get more accelerated from August. "We must feel proud of our health workers for this feat," he said.
As earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the shortage of vaccines supply to the states, Mandaviya urged him to feel proud at the efforts of health workers who have administered over 47 crore vaccinations so far.