96% Covid vaccine doses administered since May 1 were at govt centres: MoS

Over 96 per cent (108.55 crore) of the total Covid vaccine doses administered in the country since May 1 were given at government centres, while 3.7 per cent (4.12 crore) were at private facilities, the Lok Sabha was told on Friday.

As on December 7, a total of 4.61 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been procured by private hospitals and 49 lakh doses are balance with them, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply to a question.

Under the 'Revised Guidelines for Implementation of National COVID Vaccination Program' effective from June 21, domestic vaccine manufacturers have the option to provide up to 25 per cent of their monthly vaccine production directly to private hospitals and any leftover vaccine is also procured by Government of India, Pawar said.

Responding to a question, Pawar said instances of fake Covid vaccination camps and/or fake vaccine from Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have come to the notice of the government.

The Ministry of Health has formally directed state governments to investigate these cases and take stringent legal and administrative actions so that such incidents are not repeated in the future, she said.

All states and UTs have also been asked to increase the vigilance within the supply chains and carefully authenticate the product and its physical condition before its use so as to guard against such unscrupulous activities, Pawar said.