Over 86.51 cr COVID-19 vaccine doses provided to states, UTs: Health ministry

Over 86.51 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far through the Centre's free of cost channel and direct state procurement category, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.

More than 63.69 lakh doses (63,69,890) are in the process of being supplied to states and union territories (UTs), it said.

The ministry said that 5,00,46,000 doses -- balance and unutilised -- are still available with the states and UTs.

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

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

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the government has been supporting states and UTs by providing them COVID-19 vaccines free of cost, the ministry said.

Under universalisation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Centre will procure and supply free of cost 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and UTs, it said.