India registers record 8.6 million shots under free vaccine campaign amidst criticism about chaotic rollout

Experts say India needs to administer 10 million doses a day in order to achieve its goal of vaccinating all adults by end of year

India on Monday administered more than 8 million Covid-19 vaccine doses under a new government policy which makes inoculation free for all adults in the country.

The health ministry said 8.6 million doses were administered, the highest single-day vaccination achieved since the drive started on 16 January.

Following weeks of criticism over a roll-out of vaccines some deemed chaotic and a shortage of doses, prime minister Narendra Modi announced a policy reversal earlier his month.

He said that the federal government would take full control of the vaccination drive and free inoculation would be provided to those over the age of 18 from 21 June.

Under the new policy, the central government procures 75 per cent of the stocks from manufacturers and allocates to states. Twenty-five per cent is directly purchased by private hospitals for those willing to pay for the jab.

The earlier policy of conducting free vaccination in the first two phases and replacing it with a system of paid vaccination for those between 18-44 years was slammed by the Supreme Court of India as “arbitrary and irrational.”

India's previous record was of 4.5 million doses on 5 April. Experts have said to reach its goal of inoculating every adult by the end of this year, India needs to administer 10 million doses a day, according to Reuters.

Government sources quoted by The Indian Express said there were primarily two reasons for the increase in vaccination numbers on Monday — more supply to states under the new guidelines and more number of free vaccination sites.

Over 67,000 vaccination centres were reportedly operational on Monday.

Mr Modi said “vaccination numbers are gladdening” and the vaccine “remains our strongest weapon to fight Covid-19.”

The state of Madhya Pradesh administered the most number of doses at 1.5 million, followed by Karnataka with 1.06 million. But some states have said that it would be difficult to keep the same momentum going in the days ahead if they don’t receive more doses from the central government, according to Hindustan Times.

The ramp up in India’s vaccination drive comes as the number of Covid-19 cases have started to decline. The country reported 42,640 new infections — less than 50,000 for the first time in 91 days — in the 24 hours ending Tuesday morning, and deaths rose by 1,167.

The total case load now stands at 29.97 million, while total fatalities are at 389,302. But public health experts have warned of a third wave of the pandemic that could hit India in as soon as six-eight weeks.