53% of jabs during May-June were in rural India, says govt

NEW DELHI: Around 71% of Covid vaccination centres in the public sector are in rural areas which accounted for 53% of jabs given during the six-week period in May-June, the government said seeking to counter reports that rural and remote areas were being neglected in the vaccination drive.


“Some of our tribal districts have demonstrated vaccine coverage higher than the national average. So this spread has come and will increase further. With the new guidelines, system will streamline and we are hopeful that the vaccination drive will pick up pace with participation from states, Centre and private sector,” Niti Aayog member V K Paul said.

The Centre also highlighted the role of private sector in ramping up the vaccination drive as well as ensuring Covid-19 treatment facilities and services are available and accessible across the country.

Emphasising that private sector participation is crucial to strengthening the vaccination drive, Paul said states have been asked to mobilise both small and big private health facilities and aggregate the demand for vaccines. This information will be shared with the Centre to ensure equitable supply of vaccines across the country, he said. “Greater participation by this sector will ensure that we are able to cover a large population quickly,” Paul said.



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