New Delhi: The curve representing the number of Covid-19 vaccines administered in India has improved significantly in the past week, in an encouraging sign as the country recovers from the second wave of infections.
India administered only 10.47 lakh doses on 23 May but this nearly tripled by 27 May to 30.24 lakh vaccinations.
The vaccination drive in May has been devoid of any consistent pattern. On 1 May, India administered 18.26 lakh vaccine doses. The following day, the figure plunged to just 3.82 lakh doses. Since then, vaccinations have ranged between 7 and 25 lakh doses a day.
The situation greatly improved by 20 May, when the country administered 48.69 lakh doses of the vaccine, according to data from covid19india.org. This number then dropped, on 21 May, to 14.93 lakh after which it started to pick up again.
On 22 May, the number went up to 16.31 lakh, falling to 10.47 lakh on 23 May, before picking up again on 24 May to 24.87 lakh. From 25 May onwards, this number has been on a generally upward trend, with 30.24 lakh vaccinations registered on 27 May.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has administered a grand total of 20.57 crore vaccines as on 27 May.
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The supply issue
India’s slow rate of the Covid vaccination programme has come under much scrutiny from public health experts. So far, the country has inoculated a little over 14 per cent of its population — with at least one dose — despite vaccinations having opened in January.
In April, the number of doses given in a day was as high as 42 lakh. Vaccination numbers plunged when India’s second wave of infections began to peak, by the end of April.
With supply from the Centre not keeping pace with the demand and consumption of the vaccines, vaccine shortages have also plagued the drive. For want of supplies, states have put out their own global tenders to ramp up availability and procure vaccines independently.
Between 1 and 10 May, the Centre’s stock of vaccines grew each day in the range of 7 to 20 lakh, according to data from the health ministry.
On 14 May, the ministry said in a statement, “During the 16th-31st May 2021 fortnight, 191.99 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin will be supplied to the States and UTs, free of cost. This will include 162.5 lakh of Covishield and 29.49 lakh of Covaxin.”
In another statement on 19 May, it said, “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.”
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