GUWAHATI, April 21: The Assam government plans to vaccinate people in the 18 to 45 years age group for free.
“Assam will give free vaccines to everyone from 18 to 45 years. Funds collected in the Assam Arogya Nidhi last year shall be utilised for procurement of vaccines,” state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
In this connection, the state government has already placed an order for one crore doses with the Hyderabad-based firm, Bharat Biotech International.
“Pursuant to the government of India’s announcement regarding a liberalised and accelerated phase-three strategy of the National COVID-19 vaccination programme from May 1, 2021, the government of Assam plans to avail of this new initiative so that maximum number of eligible people below the age of 45 years in the state are able to get the benefits of vaccination in the shortest possible time,” a letter by the state health principal secretary to the chairman and managing director, Bharat Biotech International, read.
“Under the provisions of the strategy, the Assam health and family welfare department has proposed to procure one crore doses of Covaxin at the rate to be fixed by the government of India,” it read.
“For this purpose, the terms and conditions of delivery and payment along with the schedule may please be intimated at the earliest,” it added.
The state health principal secretary also informed Biotech that the National Health Mission, Assam would be the nodal agency for the procurement of the vaccine on behalf of the government of Assam.
The Assam health department has (as on Tuesday) a stock of little over 5 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin.
Currently, people over the age of 45 years are being administered two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine even as several health centres in the state have restricted administration of the vaccine per day, apparently with the limited stock in hand.