Over 111.7 mn unutilized Covid vaccine doses available with states, UTs

The Centre on Saturday said that more than 111.7 crore unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and Union Territories.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, "More than 1.72 billion (1,720,492,970) vaccine doses have been provided to states/UTs so far through Central government (free of cost channel) and direct state procurement categories."

"More than 111.7 million (111,710,731) unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states/UTs to be administered to the eligible people," it added.

The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on June 21, 2021.

The vaccination drive has been ramped up through the availability of additional vaccines, advanced visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them COVID-19 vaccines free of cost.

In the new phase of the universalization 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 manufacturers in the country to states and UTs.