New Delhi: The Centre estimates to receive and utilise 40-50 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine covering 20-25 crore people by July next year. The Centre is also preparing a format for the states to submit by October-end their list of priority population group. As per the states requirement, the COVID-19 vaccine will be utilized, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said Sunday. He added that priority would be given to health workers engaged in COVID-19 management. They would be the first ones to receive the vaccine.
Vardhan gave the information in an interaction with his social media followers on the ‘Sunday Samvad’ platform. He said a high-level expert group is going into all the aspects of vaccines.
The list of frontline health workers will include both government and private-sector persons. Among them will be doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitary staff and many other occupational categories. People who are involved in tracing, testing and treatment of patients will also get priority for availing the vaccine.
This exercise is targetted to be completed by the end of this October. The states are being closely guided to also submit details about cold chain facilities and other related infrastructure. These will be required down to the block level, Vardhan informed.
“The Centre is also working on plans for building capacities in human resources, training, supervision and others on a massive scale and roughly estimates to receive and utilise 400-500 million doses covering approximately 20-25 crore people by July 2021. All this is under various stages of finalisation,” Vardhan said.
The minister also informed his audience that the government is also keeping an eye on immunity data concerning the COVID-19 disease. This will be utilised while finalizing the plans of giving the vaccine.
“Our government is working round the clock to ensure that there is a fair and equitable distribution of vaccines, once they are ready. Our utmost priority is how to ensure a vaccine for each and everybody in India,” Vardhan said.
The minister stated that a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Niti Aayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul is drawing up the entire process. Vaccine procurement is being done centrally and each consignment will be tracked real-time until delivery to ensure it reaches those who need it most, he said.