Covid vaccine: over 22.72 crore doses still unutilized with states, UTs
PremiumAs part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the government has been supporting the states and Union Territories by providing them covid-19 vaccines free of cost.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday in its press release said that while more than 132 crores (1,32,33,15,050) vaccine doses have been provided to states and Union Territories, over 22.72 crore balance and unutilized Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available as of November 25.
"More than 132 crores (1,32,33,15,050) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category," reads the official release.
The vaccination drive has been ramped up through the availability of more 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 Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID 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 vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.
Earlier this week, Union Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Monday wrote a letter to Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of all states and Union Territories to ramp up the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country under the 'Har Ghar Dastak' campaign.
The Health Ministry Secretary also wrote to state governments amid concerns over alarming fall in testing for COVID-19. He said it threatens to undermine India's efforts to contain the pandemic as worries grew over fresh waves of infection abroad.
"In the absence of sustained levels of sufficient testing, it is very difficult to determine the true level of infection spread in a geography," Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter sent to the northeastern state of Nagaland, which has reduced testing by more than a third in two months.
He further added, "with a majority of countries seeing multiple surges in COVID cases in recent times and a few developed countries facing even fourth and fifth waves despite high levels of COVID vaccination, there is a need for continued vigil given the unpredictable and contagious nature of the disease."
(With inputs from agencies
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