A total of 457 million doses have been supplied to the States and Union Territories since January 2021

The central government on Tuesday dismissed the reports claiming that India will miss the end-July target of administering 50 crore (500 million) Covid-19 vaccine doses, asserting that 51.3 crore (513 million) vaccines will be supplied from January to July 31.

Stating the media reports as “ill-informed and misrepresented”, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said, “There have been some recent media reports alleging that India will miss the end-July 2021 target of administering half a billion doses. The reports also mention that the Government had stated in May 2021 that it would make 516 million shots available by the end of July 2021.”

The Ministry said that the figures of 516 million vaccine doses might have been picked up from various sources which informed about the likely availability of the vaccine doses from January 2021 to the end of July, 2021.

“The facts are that a total of more than 516 million vaccine doses will indeed be supplied from Jan 2021 to 31st July 2021,” it said.

It further said that Vaccine doses are supplied to the States/UTs as per advance allocation and advance information to them.

“Vaccines are supplied in various schedules throughout a month. Therefore, availability of 516 million doses till end of a particular month does not mean that every dose supplied till that month is going to be consumed/ administered. There would be supplies in pipeline, which should be available for next few days till the next supplies of vaccine doses materialize in a particular State/District/Sub District to keep vaccination going on,” the center said in a statement.

As on date, a cumulative total of 457 million doses have been supplied to the States/ UTs from January 2021 till date and an additional 60.3 million doses are expected to be supplied by 31st July. This will amount to a total of 517 million doses supplied from January 2021 to 31st July 2021.

“It should be appreciated that India has crossed the landmark of 440 million (44.19 crore) doses administered, which is the largest number achieved in the world and has been done at quite a brisk pace too. Out of these 9.60 crore are cases where both the doses have been administered,” the Health ministry said.

A total of 11.97 crore doses were administered in June 2021. Similarly, for the month of July 2021 (as on 26th July), a total of 10.62 crore doses have already been administered.

It is the endeavour of the Government to provide vaccination to eligible citizens in the shortest possible time as per availability of the COVID vaccines, the Health ministry said.