The Prime Minister is chairing a high-level meeting, and vaccine waste is still on the high side

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of country’s vaccination drive and instructed that vaccine wastage numbers are still on the higher side and steps need to be taken to bring them down.

PM was briefed about the current availability of vaccines and the roadmap for ramping it up as officials gave a detailed presentation on various aspects of the vaccination drive. He was also apprised about the efforts undertaken to help various vaccine manufacturers to ramp up vaccine production. The Centre has been actively working with vaccine manufacturers & helping them in terms of facilitating more production units, financing and supply of raw materials.

PM reviewed the status of vaccination coverage in health-care workers as well as front-line workers. He also took stock of the vaccination coverage in the above 45 as well as 18-44 age group. He also reviewed the status of vaccine wastage in various states.

Officials also briefed the PM on various measures being taken on the tech front to make the process of vaccination more people friendly.

Officials briefed PM on advance visibility being provided to states on vaccine availability. They also apprised the PM that states have been asked to pass on this information to district level so that there is no inconvenience to people.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce & Industries Minister Piyush Goyal, I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar, Principal Secretary to PM, Cabinet Secretary, Health Secretary and other important officials participated in the meeting.