NEW DELHI: Over 68 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far through all sources and a further 1,44,80,110 doses are in the pipeline, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.
As per the ministry, 68,04,93,215 vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far by the Central government for free under the direct state procurement category. More than 5,08,76,490 balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered, the ministry said.
The Centre is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country, it said, adding that the inoculation drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advanced visibility of vaccine availability to the states 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 by providing them COVID vaccines for free.
In the new phase of the universalisation of the COVID vaccination drive, the Centre will procure and supply 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the manufacturers in the country to the states for free.
