Over 24 crore vaccine doses provided to states, UTs so far: Centre

New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) The central government on Friday said that more than 24 crore vaccine doses have been provided to the states and Union Territories so far.It also said that 1.93 crore Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered.The Centre has so far provided, both through the free of cost category and through direct state procurement category, more than 24 crore vaccine doses (24,21,29,250) to the states and Union Territories.Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 22,27,33,963 doses (as per data available at 8 am on Friday).More than 1.93 crore covid vaccine doses (1,93,95,287) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered.As part of its nationwide vaccination drive, the government has been supporting both the states and Union Territories by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost. Besides, it has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the states and UTs. Implementation of the liberalised and accelerated phase-3 strategy of Covid vaccination has started from May 1 this year.Under the strategy, every month 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the government. It would continue to make these doses available to the state governments totally free of cost as was being done earlier.

--IANS miz/sdr/