Each locally-made vax dose given to states costs Rs 446.7

Bengaluru: The Centre has so far spent Rs 961 crore in providing 2.2 crore doses of the two indigenously-developed Covid vaccines supplied to the states and Union territories, which puts the cost of each jab at Rs 446.7. In addition, states and UTs have collectively received Rs 123 crore to meet the operational costs of administering the vaccines. Another Rs 357 crore earmarked will be disbursed in phases.

According to data made public by the health ministry, the Centre will, including the operational costs, incur nearly Rs 1,500 crore for vaccinating 3 crore healthcare and frontline workers, which gives an indication of the magnitude of funds required in the next phase of vaccination that is hoping to cover 27 crore more people across the country.

The per dose cost, notably, is not uniform across states. For example, Delhi has received 7.1 lakh doses at a cost of Rs 41.3 crore, but Karnataka’s 17.2 lakh doses cost the Centre only Rs 59.7 crore.

Uttar Pradesh has received the maximum number of doses. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which have a high percentage of India’s healthcare workers, and Rajasthan are among other states to receive large quantities of the vaccines.

These five states are also the ones to have received the highest amount of funds—Rs 48.2 crore of the total Rs 123 crore disbursed—from the Centre to meet their “operational costs”.