States to receive over 9 lakh fresh vaccine doses within next 3 days, says health ministry

The ministry said nearly 18 crore vaccine doses have been provided free of cost to states and UTs and more than 1 crore doses are still available with them to be administered.

A vial of the Covishield vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India Ltd., in a cool box at a vaccine center in the Bandra Kurla Complex hospital in Mumbai, on 16 January 2021 | Photo: Dhiraj Singh | Bloomberg

New Delhi: Over one crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs, which will receive over 9 lakh additional doses within the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

The Centre has so far provided nearly 18 crore vaccine doses (17,93,57,860) to states and UTs free of cost.

Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 16,89,27,797 doses, the ministry said.

“More than 1 crore COVID vaccine doses (1,04,30,063) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered.States with negative balance are showing more consumption (including wastage) than vaccine supplied as they have not reconciled the vaccine they have supplied to armed forces.

“Furthermore, more than 9 lakh (9,24,910) vaccine doses will be received in addition by the states and UTs within the next three days,” the ministry said.

Vaccination forms an integral component of the five point strategy of the Government of India of containment and management of the pandemic (including Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour), the ministry said.