Over 66.07 crore Covid vaccine doses provided to states, UTs so far: Govt

New Delhi: More than 66.07 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been provided to states and Union territories by the Centre for free and under the direct state procurement category, the Union health ministry said on Saturday

It also said that more than 4.49 crore (4,49,68,620) balance and unutilised vaccine doses are still available with the states/UTs.

The Union government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country, the ministry said in a statement.

“More than 66.07 crore (66,07,19,455) vaccine doses have been provided to states/UTs so far through (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. Further, more than 85 lakh doses (85,63,780) are in the pipeline,” it said.

The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states/UTs for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain, the statement said.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the states/UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost.

Under the universalisation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union government procures and supplies free of cost 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by vaccine manufacturers in the country to the states and UTs.