States, UTs to have about 12 cr vaccine doses in June: Centre

Nearly 12 crore Covid vaccine doses will be available to States and Union Territories in June 2021 enabling them to ramp up inoculation, the Centre informed them on Monday.

In a review meeting held through video conferencing, the states and UTs were also exhorted to proactively increase engagement with private hospitals on COVID vaccinations and take up non-health facility based settings and nearer to home vaccination centres for the elderly and differently-abled.

They were advised to constitute a dedicated team of 2-3 members to regularly coordinate with vaccine manufacturers and private hospitals for timely supplies of vaccine, a health ministry statement said.

In the meeting with administrators from states and UTs on the progress of vaccination, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan assured them that the central government will provide the states and UTs with the available buffer stock to urgently replenish their depleting supplies so that the vaccination drive continues at a steady pace, it said.

The Health Secretary appreciated the collective efforts of states and UTS to increase the pace of vaccination in the last week of May 2021 as most of the vaccine supply of the current month reached the states towards the end.

He also pointed out there is a substantial scope to accelerate the pace of vaccination even further, the statement said.

"The total availability of vaccines is going to increase further in June 2021 (as already shared with them



through the Vaccine Visibility Calendar). Nearly 12 crores (11,95,70,000) doses will be available to states and UTs in June 2021 enabling them to ramp up the vaccination numbers," the statement said.

Many states have complained of persistent shortage of vaccine. The meeting was held on a day Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to 11 CMs of non-BJP ruled states seeking a united effort to press the Centre to procure COVID-19 vaccines and ensure free universal vaccination.

The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the Health Ministry statement said.

"With a focus on community-based outreach approach where sessions can be conducted in non-health facility based settings and nearer to home(e.G. In a community centre, RWA centre/office, panchayat ghar, school buildings, old age homes etc.)for elderly and differently-abled population, an advisory for "Near to Home COVID Vaccination Centres (NHCVCs) for Elderly and Differently Abled Citizens" has been shared with states and UTs," it said.

States and UTs were urged to increase the number of near-to-home vaccination centres, and create awareness among the masses for use of these CVCs.           

The process of identification of NHCVC Site and linkage with existing CVC was reiterated, the statement said.