Union health ministry has written to all the States and Union Territories (UTs) urging that no vial of COVID vaccines in the government and private covid vaccination centres (CVCs) should be wasted.
It has also been reiterated that the Centre has no objection for the States/UTs to consider of near expiry vaccine vials of private CVCs with long expiry vaccine vials available with government CVCs after due diligence.
“Kindly ensure that no vials of COVID vaccine in government CVCs as well as in private CVCs should be wasted. The provision of entry of these exchanged vaccines is available in CoWIN,” Vikas Sheel, additional secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the letter stated
The letter stated that this is in reference to the issue of near expiry COVID vaccines available at private CVCs. Earlier also directions have been issued to specific States of West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra on the same.
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, 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 COVID19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75% of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.
More than 177.70 crore vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. More than 14.45 crore balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.