Over 73L vaccine doses available with states, UTs: Govt

New Delhi: More than 73 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories while over 24,65,980 are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

So far, 32,13,75,820 vaccine doses have been provided by the government of India to the states and UTs through the free of cost channel and direct state procurement category. Of this, the total consumption, including wastage, is 31,40,75,654 doses, according to data available at 8 am on Wednesday. A total of 73,00,166 COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, the ministry said.

"Furthermore, more than 24,65,980 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days," it said. The Union government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country.

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

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. Under the new phase of universalisation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union government is procuring and supplying to states and UTs 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country.