Centre spent Rs 36,397 crore on procurement of COVID vaccines: Govt

New Delhi: The government of India has incurred an expenditure of Rs 36,397.65 crore till date towards the procurement of Covid vaccines for free supply to states and Union Territories under the National Covid Vaccination Programme, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Lok Sabha on Friday.

As on July 29, 2024, a total of 220.68 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the country, Jadhav said in a written reply.

The allocation of vaccines to states and UTs was done on the basis of pro rata target population, the progress of vaccination there and vaccine wastage, Jadhav said.

Distribution of Covid vaccines within the states is managed by the state administration as per the need of the programme, he said. India has sent a total of 3012.465 lakh doses of Covid-19 Vaccines to 99 countries and two UN organisations under the 'Vaccine Maitri' Programme, Jadhav said.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), its public sector undertaking, have supported academia and industry, for research and development of COVID-19 vaccines, he said.

An amount of Rs 533.3 crore has been invested/released by DBT and BIRAC to the implementing agencies to that end, he said.

Under Mission COVID Suraksha support amounting to Rs 158.4 crore was given to vaccine manufacturers to augment vaccine manufacturing at their facilities.

The Indian council of Medical Research has spent approximately Rs 60 crore in development of Covid-19 vaccines, Jadhav said.