India creates history again: Over 200-crore Covid vaccine doses administered in the country

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, July 17

India on Sunday crossed a major milestone in its Covid 19 vaccine delivery journey by administering a record over 200 crore doses. At 12.40 pm today, India had delivered 2,00,00, 93, 288 doses.

The 2 billion-plus dose administration feat took 18 months to be reached since the first phase of vaccination was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16, 2021. 

India had delivered the first 50 crore vaccine dose on August 7, 2021; 100 crore on October 21 the same year; 150 crore on January 7 this year and 200 crore today. 

The achievement is historic given the fact that the country’s population is 17.5 per cent of the world’s.  Of our 1.36 billion people, 949 million are adults and 122 million are aged 12 to 17 years.

India had reported the first Covid case on January 30, 2020 and the first Covid death in Karnataka’s Kalburgi on March 12, 2020.

Indigenous vaccine development—ICMR-Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and SII manufactured Covishield which form the foundation of the government’s Covid vaccine delivery structure—made the delivery of 2 billion doses over 18 months possible through 4.70 lakh government and 22,000 private vaccination centres.

Importantly, the Covid vaccine delivery has also ensured gender parity with 51.1 per cent recipients of vaccines to date being males and 48.9 per cent being females.

The rural, urban divide has also been consciously bridged with the Ministry of Health establishing 71 per cent of all vaccine centres in rural areas.

A record 2.5 crore doses were administered in one day on September 17, 2021, to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

Importantly, India followed a prioritised vaccine delivery plan starting with healthcare workers and then expanding gradually.

The following phased Covid vaccine coverage of the population was done—healthcare workers starting January 16, 2021, in the first phase followed by frontline workers from February 2, 2021; 60-plus and 45- to 59-year olds with co morbidities from March 1, 2021; All persons above 45 years from April 1, 2021; persons aged 18 and above in private centres from May 1; free vaccine for all adults from June 21, 2021; 15- to 18-year olds from January 3, 2022; precaution doses for health and frontline staff from January 10, 12 to 14 year olds from March 16; free boosters for all aged 60-plus and paid booster doses for 18- to 59-year olds from April 10, free boosters for all adults for 75 days starting July 15.

“India has set a new landmark by administering over 2 billion Covid shots in just 18 months. I congratulate all the citizens for this achievement,” Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said today.

Only China has delivered more doses than India.

India creates history again! Congrats to all Indians on crossing the special figure of 200 crore vaccine doses. Proud of those who contributed to making India’s vaccination drive unparalleled in scale and speed. This has strengthened the global fight against COVID-19. https://t.co/K5wc1U6oVM

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2022

#200CroreVaccinations#WellDoneIndia

मात्र 18 महीनों में 200 करोड़ टीकाकरण का लक्ष्य पूरा कर भारत ने एक नया कीर्तिमान स्थापित किया है। इस उपलब्धि पर सभी देशवासियों को हार्दिक शुभकानाएं।
– डॉ @mansukhmandviya, केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य एवं परिवार कल्याण मंत्री@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/gL8fsiXDwW

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) July 17, 2022