COVID-19 vaccine: Top govt panel discusses strategy for availability, delivery mechanism

India's top panel for Coronavirus vaccine ministration met for first time on Wednesday and discussed conceptualization and implementation mechanisms for creation of a digital infrastructure for inventory manment and delivery mechanism of vaccine, including tracking of vaccination process with particular focus on last-mile delivery.

 National Expert Group on Vaccine ministration for COVID-19 meeting was chaired by Niti Aayog member Dr. V K Paul, along with Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan as co-chair.

expert group discussed on bro parameters guiding selection of COVID-19 vaccine candidates for country and sought inputs from Standing Technical Sub-Committee of National Technical visory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), Health Ministry said in a statement.  group delved on procurement mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine, including both indigeus and international manufacturing along with guiding principles for prioritization of population groups for vaccination.

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panel discussed financial resources required for procurement of COVID-19 vaccine and various options of financing same. Available options in terms of delivery platforms, cold chain, and associated infrastructure for rollout of COVID-19 vaccination were also taken up.

Furr, strategy and follow-up action on all possible scenarios to ensure equitable and transparent delivery of vaccine was deliberated upon. Issues related to vaccine safety and surveillance were taken up and strategy for community involvement through transparent information and awareness creation were discussed.

India’s support to its key neighbours and development partner countries for COVID-19 vaccines was deliberated upon. expert group discussed that India will lever domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity and will also eng with all international players for early delivery of vaccines t only in India but also in low and middle-income countries.

Committee also vised all States t to chart separate pathways of procurement.

Coronavirus update

India has so far reported 23,29,638 cases of COVID-19 of which 16,39,599 patients have recovered and 46,091 have succumbed to illness. need for a vaccine is of paramount importance in order to arrest speedy rise in cases and fully restart an ecomy that faces its worst downturn in over four deces.

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