RANCHI: Jharkhand government has so far paid Rs 47 crore to the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for procuring Covid-19 vaccines for the state’s 1.57 crore young adult population.
“We are committed to provide free vaccines to all adults in the state who are aged between 18-44 years.
We have approved a budget of Rs 250 crore for vaccine procurement, of which Rs 47 crore has been paid to the manufacturers of Covishield and Covaxin,” chief minister Hemant Soren said in a tweet on Monday.
Soren also claimed that the state health department has vaccinated close to 5.22 lakh people from the 6.21 lakh doses which have been received so far.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement in the evening, where he said that all young adults will be provided free vaccines by the Center from June 21, has created confusions in the state for its vaccination strategy for the next two weeks.
In April, the state had places orders for 50 lakh doses with the manufacturers.
While it received 5 lakh doses in May, Jharkhand is due to receive nearly 8 lakh doses in June directly from the Center.
“So far, there has been no directives from the Center on vaccine supply for the young adult population,” said a senior official in the health department.
Sources in the chief minister’s secretariat claimed that the state has received vaccines worth Rs 21 crore so far.
“We are likely to continue with vaccine consignments we are due to receive from the manufacturers for the drive in the next 14 days.
Technically, the classifications according to age groups now stand cancelled after today’s announcement.
So if need be, we can also use vaccines in stock for the 45+ age group to continue the drive for young adults if necessary,” a senior official claimed.
The state is currently hosting mega camps to ramp up vaccination coverage across its urban pockets and rural pockets.
The target is to inoculate 1.5 lakh people a day during the weekends for the entire month of June.