State health minister reels off population data of BJP and non-BJP states, requirement and shipment numbers to argue step-motherly treatment to Maha
A citizen receives his jab at Nair Hospital. Pic/Suresh Karkera
A day after a spat between the state and Centre over the COVID-19 vaccine supply, on Thursday, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope reiterated that BJP-ruled states got more doses of the vaccines. According to Tope, the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh got 48 lakh doses, Madhya Pradesh got 40 lakh doses, Gujarat got 30 lakh doses and Haryana 24 lakh doses per week. “Our supply is disproportionate to the spike and the daily need,” he said.
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Tope said that Maharashtra, which has a population of 12 crore, has received 1.04 crore doses so far, while neighbouring Gujarat, with a population of six crore and 17,000 active cases, has got one crore doses. Maharashtra has the maximum number of active patients — around 4.5 lakh as on date, while its total caseload has crossed the 30 lakh-mark, he said. He said Satara, Sangli, Panvel have stopped vaccination while Buldhana had only Thursday’s vaccine doses left in stock.
He was responding to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan’s statement on Wednesday that Maharashtra has got its due share and will continue to get enough in future. Vardhan blamed the state government for masking its failure by politicising the vaccination and bogging down the country’s pandemic mitigation efforts by responding poorly to the situation over the past one year.
A huge queue for vaccination at the Ketkipada centre, Dahisar, on Thursday. Pic/Satej Shinde
On Wednesday, Vardhan also approved additional stock for Maharashtra. Tope said he has discussed the issue with Vardhan. “As per his assurance, we may get another 17.5 lakh doses after April 15, but the quantity is still low because we need 40 lakh doses. We will get a mere 7.5 lakh per week. Now we have 7 lakh doses remaining.” He said several vaccination centres will shut because of vaccine shortage, adding that new stock is scheduled to be used between April 15 and April 20. “We want the supply before April 15 so centres don’t close.”
Fadnavis retorts
Objecting to Tope’s charge, opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said only three states Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan have received more than one crore vaccines so far. “Gujarat and Rajasthan have equal populations. Rajasthan has a Congress government in power. Vaccine supply is not on the basis of population but purely on the state’s performance of execution of the vaccination process,” he said.
He said Maharashtra has received 1.06 cr vaccines as mentioned in an official tweet by the government on April 6. “91 lakh vaccines have been used and it means we still have 15 lakh left with us. So why are vaccination centres shut down today and why are they spreading false news?” he asked.
He said UP was the largest state and received 92 lakh vaccines doses. “They have used 83 lakh doses and 9 lakh are still with them. Even Haryana has not received enough vaccines in the first round, but are getting them now,” he added.
He said (NCP president) Sharad Pawar has spoken to Dr Vardhan, who has assured him of all the assistance. “I also discussed this with Dr Vardhan. He has denied a biased approach towards Maharashtra,” said Fadnavis, blaming the sorry state of Maharashtra on the lack of even basic facilities. “Since there is constant criticism about the mis-governance of MVA and various exposes in courts, it’s an absolute shame that vaccination politics is being played to divert people’s attention,” he said.
Pawar downplays spat
Earlier in the day, Pawar, who is recuperating from surgery, downplayed the spat. He said the Centre assured of help and there was a need for both entities to work together to beat the grim situation. He said he discussed the issue with Dr Harsh Vardhan.
He appealed to the people of Maharashtra to assist the state in implementing restrictions that have been put in place as the last option. “There was no alternative. We have to end the bad phase,” he said.
1.06cr
No. of vaccine doses Maha has received so far
40 lakh
No. of doses state needs/week
17 lakh
No. of doses Centre has promised after April 15
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