Rs 35,000 cr budgeted for COVID-19 vaccination expenditure in FY22

India had earlier in January approved two vaccines -- Oxford's Covishield manufactured by SII and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin -- for restricted emergency use.

New Delhi: The government on Monday proposed Rs 2,23,846 crore Budget outlay for health and well being for 2021-22, compared to Rs 94,452 crore in the current fiscal, an increase of 137 per cent.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed Rs 35,000 crore outlay for COVID-19 vaccines for the next fiscal and announced the rollout of pneumococcal vaccines across the country to help save over 50,000 deaths annually.

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“I have provided Rs 35,000 crore for COVID-19 vaccine in this year 2021-22. I’m committed to provide further funds if required. The Budget outlay for health and well being is Rs 2.23 lakh crore in 2021-22 as against BE of Rs 94,452 crore and marks an increase of 137 per cent,” she said while presenting 2021-22 Budget in the Lok Sabha.

The pneumococcal vaccine is effective against potentially fatal pneumococcal infections like pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis.

“The pneumococcal vaccines, a Made in India product, is presently limited to just five states, it will be rolled out across the country and this will avert over 50,000 deaths annually in the country,” the Finance Minister noted.

India had earlier in January approved two vaccines — Oxford’s Covishield manufactured by SII and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin — for restricted emergency use. The country launched its COVID-19 vaccination drive from January 16 in what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the world’s largest inoculation programme with priority to be given to nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccine Operational Guidelines, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities based on evolving pandemic situation.