New Delhi, May 29 (IANS): The Centre has so far provided 22,77,62,450 Covid-19 vaccine doses to States and Union Territories (UTs), and 4,86,180 doses are still in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days.

The supplied vaccines include both the free of cost category and direct state procurement category, Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 20,80,09,397 doses, reveals the Ministry's data available at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

More than 1.82 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses (1,82,21,403) are still available with the States and UTs to be administered, it said, adding "Furthermore, more than 4 lakh (4,86,180) vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the States/UTs within the next three days."

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Central government has been supporting the states and the UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost. In addition, the Centre has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the states and the UTs.

Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of the Centre for containment and management of the deadly pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and Covid appropriate behaviour as the disease has so far infected 2,77,29,247 people with 22,28,724 active cases and 3,22,512 deaths.

India began the Covid-19 vaccination drive from January 16 and implemented the Liberalized and Accelerated Phase-3 strategy of the world's largest vaccination exercise from May 1.

Under the strategy, every month 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by Govt of India, the Ministry said, adding "It would continue to make these doses available to the State Govts totally free of cost as was being done earlier".