Pune: As India gears up for the world’s biggest vaccination drive on January 16, administration of Pune district is too ready for the drive. Maharashtra government has set up 511 vaccination centres in all districts, of these 55 are reserved in Pune. The district which was once the hotspot of novel coronavirus is witnessing a decline in new cases.

With two days left for the drive, the administration stated that the district is ready for the inoculation drive with all officials ready for the day. Pune district received over one lakh doses of Covishield vaccines.

The vials of covshield vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India was brought to the central vaccine storage centre on Raja Bahadur Mill Road on Tuesday. From here, the vials will be dispatched to the other districts of Maharashtra. As Pune is the central hub for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine, two temperature-controlled vehicles are reserved here.

There are 55 vaccination centres reserved in Pune district (including rural). For these centres, the vaccine storage facility is built at government hospital of Aundh, informed Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, Deputy Director of Health Services for Pune region said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope informed that the state has received 9.63 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine from Serum Institute of India (SII). Healthcare workers, government employees, private health institutions, Asha workers and Anganwadi workers are the first one who will receive the first jab. The vaccines supplied by the central government distributed to all districts as per their orders, he added further.