By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of Government of India for containment and management of the pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour.As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost. The ‘Liberalized Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy’ is being implemented from 1st May 2021 wherein 50% of the available doses are earmarked for supply to States/UTs, as free of cost supply from Govt of India channel, while the remaining 50% is available for direct procurement from the vaccine manufacturers by States/UTs and private hospitals.
The allocation of Govt. of India supplies to States/UTs is decided on the consumption pattern, population and vaccine wastage. Visibility for availability of vaccines for the entire month of June 2021 has been provided well in advance to States/UTs by Union Government as communicated to States and UTs vide letters of Union Health Ministry dated 17th May 2021, 27th May 2021 and 29th May 2021.
For the month ofJune 2021, 6.09 crore(6,09,60,000) doses of COVID vaccines will be supplied to the States and UTs for vaccination of priority group of Health Care Workers (HCWs), Front-Line Workers (FLWs) and person aged 45 years + and above as free supply from Government of India. In addition, more than 5.86 crore (5,86,10,000) doses will be available for direct procurement by the state/UTs and Private Hospitals.Therefore, in June 2021 close to 12 crore (11,95,70,000) doses will be available for the national COVID vaccination programme.
The delivery schedule for this allocation will be shared in advance. States have been requested to direct the concerned officials to ensure rational and judicious utilization of allocated doses and minimize the vaccine wastage.
The basic objective behind informing the States/UTs in advance of the quantum of free vaccine doses to be made available from Govt of India for 15/30 days and the total vaccine doses which are available for direct procurement by States/UTs,is to ensurebetter planning and delivery of vaccine by States/UTs.
For the month of May, 2021, a total quantum of more than 4.03 crore (4,03,49,830) vaccine doses has been made available by the Union Government to States, free of cost.In addition, a total quantum of more than 3.90 crore (3,90,55,370) doses was also available for direct procurement by the States as well as private hospitals in the month of May 2021.Therefore, in May 2021 a total number of 7,94,05,200 doses were available for national COVID vaccination programme.
