Nearly 12 crore doses will be available for national COVID vaccination for June

New Delhi, May 30, 2021

Nearly 12 crore doses will be available for national COVID vaccination for the month of June, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare said here today.

Advance visibility of vaccines for the entire month has been provided to States and Union Territories. In May, 7,94,05,200 doses were available under the programme, the Ministry said in a release.

"Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of the Government for containment and management of the pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour. As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost," it said.

The release said the Liberalized Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy is being implemented from May 1 where 50% of the available doses are earmarked for supply to States and UTs as free of cost supply while the remaining 50% is available for direct procurement from the vaccine manufacturers by States/UTs and private hospitals.

The allocation to States/UTs is decided on the consumption pattern, population and vaccine wastage. Visibility for availability of vaccines for the entire month of June 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 May 17, May 27 and 29.

For June, 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. 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 release said.

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 for 15/30 days and the total vaccine doses which are available for direct procurement by States/UTs, is to ensure better planning and delivery of vaccine, the release said.

For May, a total quantum of more than 4.03 crore (4,03,49,830) vaccine doses has been made available 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 hospital. Therefore, in May 2021 a total number of 7,94,05,200 doses were available for national COVID vaccination programme.

NNN