18.53 cr unutilised Covid vaccine doses still available with states: Govt

More than 123 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been provided to the states and Union territories through the Government of India (free of cost channel) and under the direct state procurement category, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.

More than 18.53 crore (18,53,90,836) balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states, it added.

The Centre is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country, the ministry said.

The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to the states to enable better planning by them and the streamlining of the vaccine supply chain, it said.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the states and Union territories by providing Covid vaccines to them for free.

In the new phase of universalisation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Centre will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to the states, the ministry said.