By PTI
NEW DELHI: The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has gone past 40 crore with over 46.38 lakh doses given on Saturday, according to the Union health ministry.
A total of 21,18,682 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years received the first dose, while 2,33,019 were administered the second dose of the vaccine on Saturday, the ministry said.
“India’s cumulative COVID vaccination coverage has surpassed 40 crore (40,44,67,526),” according to a provisional report compiled at 7 pm.
More than 46.38 lakh (46,38,106) vaccine doses were administered on Saturday, the report said.
Cumulatively, 12,40,07,069 people in the 18-44 age group have received the first dose and 48,50,858 have been administered the second dose across the 37 states and Union territories since the start of the third phase of the nationwide vaccination drive.
Eight states — Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra — have administered the first dose of the vaccine to more than 50 lakh beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group each.
Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have administered the first dose of the vaccine to more than 10 lakh beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group each.
The Centre has placed an order to procure 66 crore more doses of Covishield and Covaxin to be supplied between August and December this year, at a revised price of Rs 205 and Rs 215 per dose, respectively, excluding taxes, official sources said.
They said 37.5 crore of Covishield doses from the Serum Institute of India and 28.5 crore Covaxin doses from Bharat Biotech will be procured by December.
“An order to procure 66 crore more doses of COVID-19 vaccines–Covishield and Covaxin–to be supplied between August and December, at a revised price of Rs 205 and Rs 215 per dose, respectively, excluding taxes, has been placed,” the source said.
The price of each dose of Covishield amounts to Rs 215.25 and Covaxin Rs 225.75, including taxes, it said.
The Union health ministry which was procuring both the vaccines at Rs 150 per dose, had indicated that the prices would be revised after the new COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy came into effect from June 21.
Under the new policy, the ministry will procure 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the drug manufacturers in the country.
While the Centre has asked both the vaccine manufacturing firms to scale up their production, the manufacturers had indicated that getting Rs 150 for each dose while making investments to ramp up the production was not viable for them, sources said.
The Union government had earlier allowed states and private hospitals to procure 50 per cent of the vaccines following demands for decentralisation of the process.
However, after several states complained of problems including of funding, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the revision of the vaccine guidelines on June 8.
Domestic vaccine manufacturers are given the option to provide 25 per cent of their monthly production of vaccines to private hospitals.
According to the revised guidelines which came into effect from June 21, vaccine doses provided free of cost by the Centre will be allocated to states/UTs based on criteria such as population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination, and all above the age of 18 will be eligible for the free jabs.
Any wastage of vaccine will affect the allocation negatively.
The states and UTs would aggregate the demand of private hospitals keeping in view equitable distribution between large and small private hospitals and regional balance.
“Based on this aggregated demand, the Government of India will facilitate the supply of these vaccines to the private hospitals and their payment through the National Health Authority’s electronic platform. This would enable the smaller and remoter private hospitals to obtain a timely supply of vaccines, and further equitable access and regional balance,” the ministry had said.
The price of vaccine doses for private hospitals would be declared by each vaccine manufacturer, and any subsequent changes would be notified in advance, it said.
More than 41.69 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, through all sources, the health ministry said on Saturday.
In a statement, the ministry said 18,16,140 more doses are in the process of being supplied.
It said that 41,69,24,550 vaccine doses have been provided to states and Union Territories (UTs) so far through all sources.
Of this, the total consumption, including wastage, is 38,94,87,442 doses, according to data available at 8 am Saturday, the ministry said.
It said that 2,74,37,108 Covid vaccine doses — balance and unutilised — are still available with states and UTs, and private hospitals.
The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination programme commenced from June 21.
The new phase of the universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination programme started on June 21 and under it, the central government made inoculation free of cost for all adults.
Vaccines were earlier free for people above 45 years of age.
Under the nationwide vaccination drive, the government of India has been supporting states and UTs by providing them the vaccines, the ministry said.
In the new phase of the drive, the Union government will procure and supply free of cost 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and UTs.it said.
