By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The Liberalised Pricing & Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy has been implemented from 1st May 2021. As part of the Strategy, in every month 50% of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses would be procured by Govt. of India, and GOI would continue to make it available to the State Govts totally free of cost, as was being done earlier. In addition to this, every month balance 50% of the CDL cleared vaccine doses would be available for direct procurement by the State Govts & Private Hospitals.
Union Health Ministry has been providing advance information on availability of COVID vaccine doses to be supplied to the States and UTs during the two fortnights of the month, and also the amount available for direct procurement by the States from the manufacturers by the State and the private hospitals. The Prime Minister has highlighted this in his interaction with the State and District Officials on the COVID-19 situation yesterday.
Union Health Ministry has again written to the States and UTs on allocation of COVID vaccine doses (for both Covishield and Covaxin) during May 2021 and during first fortnight of June 2021 from the Govt of India channel (which is available free of cost), and availability of Vaccine doses (for both Covishield and Covaxin) that can be procured directly by States & Private Hospitals during months of May and June 2021. This advance visibility will enable better and more effective planning by the States.
According to the advance visibility provided by Govt of India to States/UTs, a total of 5 crore 86 lakh and 29 thousand doses will be provided free of cost by Govt of India to States from 1st May 2021 to 15th June 2021.In addition, as per information received from vaccine manufacturers, a total of 4 crore, 87 lakh and 55 thousand doses will also be available till end of June 2021 for direct procurement by States/UTs.
In view of the above visibility of vaccines with clear supply timelines till June 2021, and in order to ensure efficient and judicious utilization of available doses for successful implementation of COVID-19 vaccination drive, the States/UTs have been advised the following:
To prepare a district-wise, COVID Vaccination Centre (CVC)-wise plan for administration of COVID-19 vaccine.To use multiple media platforms for dissemination of such a plan to enhance awareness among the masses.Both the States Govts & Private CVCs to publish their vaccination calendar on CoWIN digital platform in advance.States & Private CVCs to desist from publishing single day vaccination calendars.To ensure that there is no overcrowding at the CVCs.To ensure that the process of booking appointments on CoWIN is hassle-free.The States and UTs have been advised to direct the concerned officials to prepare advance plan for administration of COVID-19 vaccine till 15th of June 2021.The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level.
