Centre Places Order For 44 Cr Doses Of Covishield, Covaxin As PM Takes Over Vaccine Procurement From States

The move comes a day after PM Modi announced that Centre will now over the state procurement quota and provide free jabs to state governments for inoculation of all above the age of 18.

(Representative Image/AFP)

New Delhi: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced vaccination policy, the Union government on Tuesday said that it has placed orders for 44 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin jabs to boost inoculation drive in the country. 

According to the Union Health Ministry, 44 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be delivered by their makers between August and December 2021. 

The ministry informed that orders have been placed for 25 crore doses of Covishield and 19 crore doses of Covaxin to achieve universalisation of vaccination. 

"In immediate follow-up of the prime minister's announcement of these changes in the Guidelines of National COVID Vaccination programme yesterday, the Centre has placed an order with Serum Institute of India for 25 crore doses of Covishield and with Bharat Biotech for 19 crore doses of Covaxin," an official told news agency PTI. 

"Additionally, 30 per cent of the advance for procurement of both the COVID-19 vaccines has been released to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech," the official added.

The move comes after PM Modi addressed the nation on Monday where he announced that Centre will now over the state procurement quota and provide free jabs to state governments for inoculation of all above the age of 18.

As per the new vaccination policy, Centre will provide free coronavirus vaccines to states and union territories for inoculation of all above 18 years of age from June 21 and will also take over the 25 per cent state procurement quota.

Expressing hope that the vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the coming days, the Prime Minister had also said the Centre will now buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers for free supply to states, while private sector hospitals will continue to procure the remaining 25 per cent.