Over 23.3 mn balance vax doses available with states, pvt hospitals: Centre

More than 2.33 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states, union territories and private hospitals, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

More than 52.40 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far through all sources, and a further 8,39,780 doses are in the pipeline, it said.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastage, is 50,51,29,252 doses (as per data available at 8 am on Monday), the ministry said.

More than 2.33 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states, UTs and private hospitals to be administered, it added.

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

The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June, 2021.

The vaccination drive has been ramped up through the 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 ministry said.

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

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