Harsh Vardhan said government would receive between 400 and 500 million vaccine doses (Representational)
New Delhi:
The government plans to provide Covid vaccines to around 20 to 25 crore (200 to 250 million) people – of the country’s 130 crore (1.3 billion) – by July 2021, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said Sunday afternoon. Dr Vardhan said the government would receive between 400 and 500 million vaccine doses for this purpose and that it would ensure “equitable access”.
The Health Minister also said that state and UT governments had been advised to send details of “priority population groups” – a reference to which sections of the population will be first in line to recieve the vaccine – by the end of October.
“Vaccine procurement is being done centrally and each consignment will be tracked in real time. Priority will be given to frontline health care workers,” Dr Vardhan said in the fourth edition of “Sunday Samvaad”, his weekly social media interaction with the public.
“The government is offering full support to Indian vaccine manufacturers and is commited to taking all measures to ensure equitable access to the vaccine,” he added.
