The weekly rate of immunization across the country fell to nearly 60% of what was seen in the week following June 21, when the Center resumed vaccine supplies to the states.
States, including some of the most populous in the country, have complained about the disproportionate distribution of COVID vaccines – vaccine availability by population. Tamil Nadu, which is India’s sixth largest state, received only 5% of the total share of vaccines used in the country. The national average of vaccines used by all states stood at 41% as of July 13, according to government data.
The weekly rate of immunization across the country fell to nearly 60% of what was seen in the week following June 21, when the Center resumed vaccine supplies to the states. The slackening has led several states to complain of a shortage.
On June 21, the first day of the new policy, nearly 91 lakh doses were administered and until June 27, approximately 4 crore doses were administered. The period from July 5 to July 11 saw only 2.3 crore of doses distributed. So far, around 38 crore of vaccine has been administered since the campaign began in January.
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Maharashtra, one of the most populous states, has administered 3.7 crore doses so far. The state government claims to have the capacity to administer 15 lakh doses per day. Health Minister Rajesh Tope said 70 lakh doses arrived last week but were used up in just three days. The State Assembly recently passed a resolution demanding 3 crore doses per month from the Center for the next three months.
Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MP Stalin recently wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the misallocation of vaccines. Stalin said in his letter that the number of vaccine doses provided to the state was 302 per thousand eligible people.
“This is very low compared to the vaccine doses made available to comparable states such as Gujarat, Karnataka and Rajasthan, which are 533, 493 and 446 respectively,” said the CM. Tamil Nadu has so far administered 1.54 crore of first doses and 32 lakh of second doses.
Gujarat and Karnataka are states ruled by the BJP, while Rajasthan is ruled by the Congressional government.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have similar populations. Gujarat has provided jabs to 58% of its eligible population. While 53% in Karnataka and 52% in Rajasthan received doses, 44% of the over 18 population of Madhya Pradesh received the COVID-19 vaccines. But Tamil Nadu received 31% of doses in proportion to its eligible population.
The six most populous states are: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
States not governed by the BJP – Maharashtra and West Bengal – have already raised concerns about the lack of transparency and the disproportionate allocation of vaccines.
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Delhi’s vaccine stock is reportedly expected to last only two more days, according to a bulletin released by the Delhi government on Tuesday. But many centers were closed on Tuesday (July 14) because the city had stock for less than a day like Monday evening and the centers did not yet have fresh stock. Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday that 500 centers were closed due to the shortage.
However, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Wednesday (July 14) that the Center had informed state governments in advance of the allocation of doses.
Despite this, if “we see mismanagement and long queues of vaccinators, then it is very clear what the problem is and who is the reason,” he said.
In a six-part Hindi Twitter thread, Mandaviya claimed that “unnecessary statements (about vaccine availability) are only made to create panic among the population.”
According to guidelines from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, “Vaccine doses provided free of charge by the Indian government will be allocated to states / UTs based on criteria such as population, disease burden and disease progress. vaccination.
