There Has Been No Shortage Of Vaccines: Centre Informs Lok Sabha

Advance visibility of vaccine allocation are provided 15 days in advance to enable them to plan for acceleration of vaccination coverage while being cognizant of the available vaccines, the centre said

There has been no shortage of vaccines and the Government of India has been supplying the jabs to states and Union Territories for free to be given to prioritized beneficiaries as recommended by NEGVAC, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. Advance visibility of vaccine allocation -- total doses that would be available for states and UTs -- are provided 15 days in advance to enable them to plan for acceleration of vaccination coverage while being cognizant of the available vaccines, she said in a written reply. Asked whether the government is aware that many inoculation sites got closed down due to non-availability of vaccines there, Ms Pawar said, "There has been no shortage of vaccines and the Government of India has been providing free supply of vaccines to states and UTs for administration to prioritised beneficiaries as recommended by NEGVAC (National Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration against COVID-19)." On whether the government is aware that less than 10 per cent of Indians have got single dose of Covid vaccine despite India being the world''s leading vaccine manufacturer, the minister said as of July 20, around 34.5 per cent of the estimated population aged 18 years and above has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.