India defends vaccination programme amid crisis

India's Health Ministry on Thursday defended the government's efforts to tackle the surging COVID-19 cases around the country.

Member of NITI Aayog, Dr. Vinod Paul  said "We are proud and happy to say that one-third of the population, 45 and above, in this vast country has received at least one dose."

He also said the country plans to have more than 2 billion doses available for public use between August and December this year. India is grappling with an explosion in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths that have devastated the health care system across the country. It has reported more than 23 million cases so far and more than 258,000 deaths from COVID-19.