Over 2.29 crore Covid vaccine doses still available with states, UTs: Govt

More than 2.29 crore balance and unutilised Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories and private hospitals to be administered, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.

Over 51.66 crore (51,66,13,680) vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, through all sources and a further 55,52,070 doses are in the pipeline, it said.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastages, is 49,74,90,815 doses (as per data available at am on Saturday), the ministry said.

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More than 2.29 crore (2,29,36,394) balance and unutilised Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs and private hospitals to be administered, it said.

The Union government is committed to accelerate the pace and expand the scope of Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country, the ministry said.

The new phase of universalisation of Covid-19 vaccination had commenced on June 21.

The vaccination drive has been ramped up through 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, it said.

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