As India gears up to launch world's largest immunisation drive, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said COVID-19 vaccine will be provided free of cost to people across the country.
"Not just in Delhi, it will be free across the country," Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told the reporters on being asked if COVID-19 vaccine will be provided free of cost.
Vardhan was reviewing a dry run at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital government hospital in Delhi.
In Delhi, the drive is being conducted at three locations - the Daryaganj primary health centre, the government-run Guru Teg Bahadur hospital, and the private Venkateshwara hospital.
The Union Minister reminded that "different kinds of rumours were also spread during polio immunisation, but people took the vaccine and now India is polio-free".
Notably, coronavirus vaccine is slated to be soon rolled out.
The Oxford-AstraZenaca vaccine has been recommended by the expert panel tasked with vetting Covid-19 vaccine proposals and has been forwarded to the Drug Controller General of India for approval.
"The Drug Controller General of India will soon give its recommendation on the applications," assured Vardhan.
Once formalized, the vaccine globally known as AZD1222 will be the first silver bullet for the country, which has witnessed over one crore cases and nearly 1.5 lakh deaths till now.