New Delhi [India] : The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Wednesday said that more than 21.65 crore balance and unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories to be administered. The ministry further stated that over 131crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to the states and UTs so far. “As many as 1,31,62,03,540 vaccine doses have been provided to States and UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. 21,65,09,916 balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States and UTs to be administered,” the ministry said. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on June 21, 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through the availability of more vaccines, advanced visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain. As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government 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. Meanwhile, India reported 9,283 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. With this, the active caseload of the infection stands at 1,11,481, which is the lowest in 537 days. As many as 437 people have succumbed to the COVID-19 infection in the country in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 4,66,584.
