Guwahati: Assam government Tuesday announced free Covid vaccination to those aged above 18 from May 1.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “Assam will give FREE vaccines to everyone from 18-45 years. GOI is giving free vaccines for 45 +.”
Funds collected in Assam Arogya Nidhi last year shall be utilised for procurement of the vaccines, Sarma said. “Today itself, we’ve placed orders for 1 cr doses with Bharat Biotech.”
Sarma posted a letter written on Tuesday to Bharat Biotech by Samir Sinha, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Assam. Sinha wrote that the Assam government plans that a “maximum number of eligible people in the below 45 years age category in the state are able to get the benefits of vaccination in the shortest possible time”.
The letter said the government of Assam proposes to procure one crore doses of Covaxin at the rate to be fixed by the Government of India. “For this purpose, the terms and conditions of delivery and payment along with schedule of supplies may please be intimated at the earliest,” the letter said. With agency inputs