COVID vaccine supply based on population, caseload: Centre

NEW DELHI: Amid many states repeatedly raising the issue of Covid vaccine shortages, the Centre on Thursday refuted the claims, saying the national Covid vaccination programme is built on scientific and epidemiological evidence, WHO guidelines and global best practices.

Anchored in systematic end-to-end planning, it is implemented through effective and efficient participation of states and Union Territories and the people at large, a Health and Family Welfare Ministry statement said.

Brushing aside some media reports on non-transparent allocation of Covid-19 vaccines to states, it said that the allegations were completely without any basis, and not fully informed.

"It is clarified that Government of India continues to allocate Covid-19 vaccines to states and the UTs in a transparent manner. Information about the vaccine supply by government of India, consumption by the states and UTs, balance and unutilized vaccine doses available with them, along with vaccine supply in the pipeline is regularly shared through press releases made by the Press Information Bureau, and also through other forums."

The distribution of Covid-19 vaccine is done on the parameters population of a state, caseload or disease burden, and state's utilization efficiency, it said, adding that the allocation is negatively affected by vaccine wastage.

The clarification came at a time when India's cumulative vaccination coverage has exceeded 30 crore on Wednesday.

A total of 30,16,26,028 vaccine doses have been administered through 40,45,516 sessions, as per the provisional report on Thursday, with 64,89,599 vaccine doses administered in the last 24 hours.

The new phase of universalization of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from June 21 pushing free vaccination to people aged above 18 years -- a move to accelerate the pace and expanding the scope of Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country, the state said.

India's vaccination drive, termed the world's largest inoculation exercise, began on January 16 this year. (IANS)

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