News Analysis India

Tag: India vaccination drive

  • India received just 5.45 crore doses of Covaxin till mid-July, reveals Health Ministry

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Less than 5.5 crore doses of  Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has been supplied for the Covid vaccination programme till mid-July. It shows that on average, the country may have received less than 1 crore doses per month of the indigenous vaccine, so far.

    In response to a question in Parliament on Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry said that till July 16, 5.45 crore doses of Covaxin, co-developed by the ICMR, had been available for public use as against 36.01 crore doses of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

    The low supply of Covaxin has remained a concern despite claims by the government earlier that nearly 10 crore doses of this vaccine may be produced from September, which will help it meet the target of vaccinating all the adult population by the year-end.

    In response to a separate question, the ministry also informed the Rajya Sabha that the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker aims to increase the production capacity of Covaxin —  from the existing 5.8 crore to 2.5 crore doses per month.

    Despite an explanation offered by the company earlier on a 120-day production cycle, many experts have however pointed out that the vaccine released for consumption has been rather slow.

    VK Paul, member, health (Niti Aayog) who also heads the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid, meanwhile, said in a press briefing that as part of the Bharat Biotech’s expansion plan for Covaxin production, it has added its facilities in Ankleshwar in Gujarat and Bengaluru, apart from their already functional Hyderabad facility that is producing Covaxin.

    “The Ankleshwar plant is moving towards vaccine production as per the original schedule, but the Bengaluru facility faced some difficulties in operationalisation that led to the lag in Covaxin supplies,” he said.

    Paul also added that the production fell slightly behind what was initially expected but now, the company has informed that the glitches have been sorted.

    “These are unforeseen circumstances that crop up while executing such highly technical projects that involve tackling live viruses. But now they are on track,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the three public sector undertakings—including two directly under the Centre and the one under the Maharashtra government—that were roped in for Covaxin production scale-up are also yet to start the actual manufacturing.

  • India received just 5.546 crore doses of Covaxin till mid-July, reveals Health Ministry

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Less than 5.5 crore doses of  Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has been supplied for the Covid vaccination programme till mid-July. It shows that on average, the country may have received less than 1 crore doses per month of the indigenous vaccine, so far.

    In response to a question in Parliament on Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry said that till July, 16,5.45 crore doses of Covaxin, co-developed by the ICMR, had been available for public use as against 36.01 crore doses of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

    The low supply of Covaxin has remained a concern despite claims by the government earlier that nearly 10 crore doses of this vaccine may be produced from September, which will help it meet the target of vaccinating all the adult population by the year-end.

    In response to a separate question, the ministry also informed the Rajya Sabha that the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker aims to increase the production capacity of Covaxin, 5.8 crore from the existing 2.5 crore doses per month.

    Despite an explanation offered by the company earlier on a 120-day production cycle, many experts have however pointed out that the vaccine released for consumption has been rather slow.

    VK Paul, member, health (Niti Aayog) who also heads the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid, meanwhile, said in a press briefing that as part of the Bharat Biotech’s expansion plan for Covaxin production, it has added its facilities in Ankleshwar in Gujarat and Bengaluru, apart from their already functional Hyderabad facility that is producing Covaxin.

    “The Ankleshwar plant is moving towards vaccine production as per the original schedule, but the Bengaluru facility faced some difficulties in operationalisation that led to the lag in Covaxin supplies,” he said.

    Paul also added that the production fell slightly behind what was initially expected but now, the company has informed that the glitches have been sorted.

    “These are unforeseen circumstances that crop up while executing such highly technical projects that involve tackling live viruses. But now they are on track,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the three public sector undertakings—including two directly under the Centre and the one under the Maharashtra government—that were roped in for Covaxin production scale-up are also yet to start the actual manufacturing.

  • Covid-19: Nationwide cumulative vaccination coverage exceeds 19 crore

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: In yet another achievement, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday informed that the nationwide cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 19 crores.

    “India has achieved a new milestone in its vaccination drive as the cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 19 crores (19,18,79,503) today under the Phase-3 of the nationwide vaccination drive,” read an official release by the Ministry.

    A total of 19,18,79,503 vaccine doses have been administered through 27,53,883 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am today.

    These include 97,24,339 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken their first dose and 66,80,968 HCWs who have taken the second dose.

    Adding to the count, 1,47,91,600 frontline workers have been administered their first dose and 82,85,253 FLWs have been administered their second dose.

    Newly added 86,04,498 beneficiaries of 18-44 age group also got innoculated with their first shot of vaccine. Mounting further, 5,98,35,256 persons of age group between 45-60 years took their first dose and 95,80,860 persons aged between 45 to 60 years took their second dose of vaccine.

    Also, 5,62,45,627 beneficiaries who are more than 60 years old were too jabbed with their first dose and 1,81,31,102 beneficiaries of more than 60 years old were jabbed with their second dose.

    Ten states account for 66.32 per cent of the total doses given so far in the country. They are Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

    More than 20.61 lakh tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. With this achievement, India has again set a new record of the highest ever tests conducted in a single day. On another front, the daily positivity rate has declined to 12.59 per cent.

    India’s daily recoveries continue to outnumber the daily new cases for the eighth consecutive day. 3,57,295 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours. India’s cumulative recoveries have reached 2,27,12,735 today. The national recovery rate has grown further to touch 87.25 per cent. Ten states account for 74.55 per cent of the new recoveries. They are Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

    In another positive development, India has recorded less than 3 lakh new cases for five consecutive days now. 2,59,551 daily new cases were registered in the last 24 hours. Ten states reported 76.66 per cent of the new cases in the last 24 hours. Tamil Nadu has reported the highest daily new cases at 35,579, followed by Kerala with 30,491 new cases. The next in line are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Assam.

    On the other hand, India’s total active caseload has decreased to 30,27,925 today. A net decline of 1,01,953 is witnessed in the last 24 hours. It now comprises 11.63 per cent of the country’s total positive cases. Eight states cumulatively account for 69.47 per cent of India’s total active cases. The states are Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)

  • Why is PM Modi not adopting ‘India First’ approach in COVID vaccination process: Congress

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why he is not adopting “India First” approach in vaccinating its citizens and questioned why six crore vaccine doses were exported out of the country when Indians were not getting them.

    Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said at a virtual press conference that the government should bring in transparency in its vaccine policy and provide the vaccine to all Indians first, instead of providing it to citizens of other countries.

    He also accused the prime minister of attacking the federal structure and insulting the Constitution by talking directly to district magistrates across the country on COVID strategy.

    “I want to ask the prime minister – Why don’t you adopt the policy of ‘India First’ like the Americans do.

    Why did you export the vaccine to other countries when Indians needed it most,” he asked.

    ALSO READ | Why is PM Modi not adopting ‘India First’ approach in COVID vaccination process: Congress

    Gohil said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health had said in its report on October 16 that Indians should be the first ones to get the vaccine and had asked the government to ensure this.

    “We wish to ask the government to bring complete transparency in your vaccine policy and ask why recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health have not been implemented,” he asked.

    The Congress leader said while many countries have vaccinated a majority of their population, India is lagging far behind.

    Gohil also asked why the prime minister was announcing free vaccines to all citizens in Bihar and West Bengal, where elections were held and why the entire country could vaccinated for free by utilising the amount earmarked for vaccines.

    “Why are you burdening the states and asking them to buy vaccines of their own,” he asked.

    Gohil also attacked the prime minister for interacting directly with district magistrates across the country and alleged, “This is an attack on the federal structure and an insult of the Constitution of India”.

    ALSO WATCH: 

  • ‘Dear PM’: 12 Opposition leaders ask Modi to make vaccination free of cost, stop Central Vista project

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Leaders of 12 opposition parties Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a free mass vaccination campaign against Covid-19, and a suspension of the Central Vista project and divert the money to aid the fight against coronavirus.

    Claiming that the Covid-19 pandemic has turned into an “apocalyptic human tragedy” in the country, the opposition leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and some chief ministers, also demanded the Centre provide food grains to the needy, and give Rs 6,000 per month to all the jobless people.

    In their joint letter in which they make nine suggestions to the government, the leaders have also demanded a repeal of the three Central farm laws which, they claimed, will help protect lakhs of ‘annadatas’ (food-growers) from becoming the victims of pandemic.

    A large number of farmers are sitting in protest at three borders of Delhi, seeking the farm laws passed by Parliament in September last year be scrapped.

    Apart from Congress president Gandhi, the signatories include former prime minister and JDS leader H D Deve Gowda, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, chief ministers Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena), Mamata Banerjee (TMC), MK Stalin (DMK), and Hemant Soren (JMM).

    Former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah (NC) and Akhilesh Yadav (SP) have also signed the letter, alongside Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), D Raja (CPI) and Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M).

    The leaders have said the Covid-19 pandemic has assumed unprecedented dimensions of a human catastrophe in the country.

    They noted that they have in the past also suggested to the government the measures they believed were “absolutely imperative” for the Centre to implement to arrest the situation.

    “Unfortunately, your government has either ignored or refused all these suggestions. This only compounded the situation to reach such an apocalyptic human tragedy,” they said.

    Without going into all the “acts of commission and omission” by the Central government that have brought the country to such a “tragic pass”, the opposition leaders demanded that the new measures suggested by them must be undertaken on a war footing.

    “Procure vaccines centrally from all available sources – global and domestic. Immediately begin a free, universal mass vaccination campaign across the country. Invoke compulsory licensing to expand domestic vaccine production. Spend budgetary allocation of Rs 35,000 crores for the vaccines,” the leaders said in their letter.

    “Stop Central Vista construction. Use the allocated money for procuring oxygen and vaccines, instead. Release all money held in the unaccounted private trust fund, PM Cares to buy more vaccines, Oxygen and medical equipment required,” they also told the prime minister.

    The opposition leaders also demanded giving all jobless at least Rs 6,000 per month and a free distribution of foodgrains to the needy, saying over one crore tonnes of foodgrains are currently “rotting in central godowns”.

    “Repeal farm laws to protect lakhs of our annadatas becoming victims of the pandemic so that they can continue to produce food to feed the Indian people,” they said.

    “Though it has not been the practice of your office or government, we would appreciate a response to our suggestions in the interests of India and our people,” the leaders said in the letter.

    The letter comes on a day India witnessed a record rise in Covid-19 deaths with 4,205 fresh fatalities taking the overall toll to 2,54,197, while 3,48,421 new coronavirus infections were also reported.

    The total tally of COVID-19 cases in country now stands at 2,33,40,938.

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  • ‘Not desirable’ to create separate priority group of mental illness for vaccination: Centre to Delhi HC

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that it “may not be desirable” to create a separate priority group of people suffering from severe mental illness for the purpose of vaccinating them as from May 1 all individuals above 18 years of age are eligible for vaccination.

    The Union Ministry of Health, in an affidavit filed in the high court, has said that from May 1 all individuals above 18 years of age are eligible for getting vaccinated, and therefore, “it will facilitate vaccination of a large number of population groups including persons suffering from mental illness”.

    It also said that the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in a meeting held on March 22 deliberated on the issue of creating a priority group and arrived at a consensus that “decision regarding prioritisation is based on scientific evidence, principles of equity, WHO guidelines and hence there was no need to change or alter or modify the criteria for the present”.

    NEGVAC was set up in August last year to provide guidance on all aspects of COVID-19 vaccination including prioritisation of population groups, procurement and inventory management, vaccine selection, its delivery, its tracking, etc, the ministry has said in the affidavit.

    “In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances, it may not be desirable to create a separate priority group consisting of those suffering from severe mental illness and others below 45 years of age,” the ministry has said.

    The affidavit was filed in response to a plea seeking to include people suffering from mental illness in the list of specified comorbidities that will help them get the COVID-19 vaccine on priority basis.

    The petition by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal has also sought directions to the authorities to frame a policy to provide COVID-19 vaccination to homeless mentally ill persons.

    The plea has challenged exclusion of mental illness from the list of specified comorbidities for determination of eligibility of citizens in the age group of 45 to 59 years.

    Bansal has contended that apart from the fact that persons with severe mental illness are not covered under the list of specified comorbidities, the ministry has also capped the benefit of COVID- 19 vaccination only to those persons with disabilities having high support needs.

    The petition has said that homeless persons with severe mental illness have a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 infection due to the fact that they are unable to understand what is happening with them.

    “It is because of the said reason that the Indian Psychiatric Society has written two times to the respondents for inclusion of mental illness in the list of specified comorbidities, but to no avail,” it has said.

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  • Over 84 lakh COVID vaccine doses still available with states, UTs; 17.49 cr jabs provided so far: Centre

    The ministry said that the national capital still has a balance of 4.12 lakh doses available and within the next three days, it is likely to receive one lakh doses more.