Centre orders for more doses of vaccines

New Delhi : Just a day later when Prime Minister, Narendra Modi proclaimed that the Centre would take over the state procurement quota and give out free doses to state governments for vaccination to all people over 18 years of age, the Centre on Tuesday ordered 44 crore Covishield and Covaxin doses.

The Union Health Ministry stated that in between August and December of this year, the producers of the vaccines shall provide 44 crore doses.

The official exclaimed, “In immediate follow-up of the prime minister’s announcement of these changes in the Guidelines of National Covid Vaccination programme yesterday, the Center has placed an order with Serum Institute of India for 25 crore doses of Covishield and with Bharat Biotech for 19 crore doses of Covaxin.”

“Additionally, 30 per cent of the advance for procurement of both the Covid-19 vaccines has been released to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech.”

The official opined the Centre is lending all support to the state’s and union territories’ efforts in order to provide an effective inoculation drive under the ‘whole of government approach’ since the beginning of this year.

On the basis of the representations that the Centre has received, the vaccination procedure for the people over the age of 18 years began in the third phase of the strategy from May 1.

The official further added, “Now with the aim to further universalize the countrywide vaccination drive, all citizens above 18 years of age can receive the Covid-19 vaccine doses free of cost at government health facilities.”

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Monday announced that the central government will give Covid-19 vaccines to the states and union territories for free in order to provide vaccination to the people over the age of 18 years from June 21.  The Centre shall take over 25% state procurement quota of the state.

The Prime Minister has ascertained that there shall be an improvement in the supply of vaccines in the future days. As of now, the Centre shall buy 75% of the vaccines from the producers to supply it to the state free of cost and the private sector hospitals shall procure the other 25%.