Health Ministry calls upon states to prioritize second dose of COVID-19 ANI | Updated: May 11, 2021 17:41 IST
New Delhi [India], May 11 (ANI): The Health Ministry has urged states to ensure all beneficiaries who have taken the first dose of COVID-19 are prioritised for the second dose.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Dr R S Sharma, Member, National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration of COVID-19 reviewed the status of vaccination with health secretaries and National Health Mission MDs of states and UTs through a video conference today. States to ensure all beneficiaries who have taken the first dose are prioritised for the second doses, Bhushan said.
Prioritise vaccinating those due for second dose of COVID-19 vaccine: Centre to states
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Last Updated: May 11, 2021, 04:55 PM IST
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Synopsis
The urgent need to address a large number of beneficiaries waiting for second dose of vaccine was stressed in a meeting held by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Dr R S Sharma, the Chairman of Empowered Group on Technology and Data Management to Combat COVID-19, with state officials to review the status of COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday.
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The Centre appealed to states on Tuesday to prioritise vaccinating those due for second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and reserve at least 70 per cent of the shots supplied from the central pool for the purpose.
More than 90 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs which will receive over 7 lakh additional doses in the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
The Centre has so far provided more than 18 crore vaccine doses (18,00,03,160) to states and UTs free of cost.
Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 17,09,71,429 doses. More than 90 lakh COVID Vaccine doses (90,31,691) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. States with negative balance are showing more consumption (including wastage) than vaccine supplied as they have not reconciled the vaccine they have supplied to Armed Forces, the ministry said.
The Centre appealed to states on Tuesday to prioritise vaccinating those due for second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and reserve at least 70 per cent of the shots supplied from the central pool for the purpose. States have also been urged to minimise wastage of vaccine doses, the health ministry said in a statement. All wastage more than the national average hereafter is to be adjusted from the subsequent allocations to that state or union territory. The urgent need to address a large number of beneficiaries waiting for second dose of vaccine was stressed in a meeting held by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Dr R S Sharma, the Chairman of Empowered Group on Technology and Data Management to Combat COVID-19, with state officials to review the status of COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday.