In order to augment the cold-chain requirement for the storage of COVID-19 vaccine, the Union Health Ministry in consultation with states/Union Territories has assessed the additional requirement for cold-chain storage facilities like walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers, deep freezers and ice-lined refrigerators.
"As vaccines are temperature sensitive and these required to be stored at a specific temperature, we estimated the need for additional equipment for the state government/UTs. We are in the process of procuring and supplying them. And the first supply of such additional would start from December 10," the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said here.
Presently, the cold-chain system consists of 85,634 equipment for storage of vaccine at about 28,947 cold chain points across the country.
The current cold-chain is capable of storing additional quantities of COVID-19 vaccine required for the first 3 crore healthcare workers and front-line workers.
Stating that the Union government has also made implementation preparedness, Bhushan said: "Additional procurement for syringes, needles etc is also on track. Implementation of SOPs in the final stages and we have shared with the state government for their comments."
"Training materials are being finalised and detailed implementation plans will be finalised with state governments in coming days," he added.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday said that there are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages being developed by various manufacturers in India.
Besides this, three COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the pre-clinical stage of which one of the coronavirus vaccine candidates is in the pre-development stage being researched by Aurobindo Pharma, the official said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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