Four Opposition Ruled States Say No Stock of Covid Jabs, Can't Begin Vaccination For All on May 1

Days before the government expands the vaccination drive for those above 18 years, four Opposition ruled states on Sunday said that they would not be able to begin the drive on May 1 because of shortage of enough vaccines.

Rajasthan government said it had been told by the Serum Institute of India (SII), which manufactures Covishield, that it would not be able to supply doses before May 15, a report in The Indian Express said.

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma reportedly said, “We were told to speak to Serum Institute. Their feedback was that the orders that they have got from the central government…they will need time till May 15 to supply those orders. So they are not in a position to give the vaccine to us.”

“So, the question is, if the states want to procure vaccines directly, what is the process? This the central government should decide. The question before us is, we have 3.13 crore people in the 18-45 age group; how will we vaccinate them?” he said.

Sharma in a press conference with his counterparts from Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and Jharkhand, also said that the central government should tell Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech that they should supply “this much number of doses” to the states.

Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo and Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu also agreed to Sharma’s demands.

The report also quoted Deo as saying that he had heard that Assam had tried to place orders for vaccines, but was told that they would get them after a month.

The states’ ministers said that they are prepared for the next phase of vaccination form May 1 but the manufacturers had expressed inability to provide the doses.

Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta reportedly said, “We want to vaccinate, but will we make vaccines in our homes?”

The report also said that Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had directed the Health Department to order 30 lakh Covishield doses for vaccination of the 18-45 age group. But, the delivery of vaccines for 18-45 age group is not expected before May 15.

The four states also accused the central government of discrimination in supplying oxygen and the antiviral drug remdesivir, used in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

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