JOIN USSend 20 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses, ensure supply of Remdesivir: Tamil Nadu to Centre
With the number of people testing positive for the novel coronavirus increasing every day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to ensure the supply of 20 lakh Covid-19 vaccines “well in advance” to ensure that the vaccination drive does not get affected.
In the letter, Palaniswami also brought to Modi's attention to prioritising supplies by individual manufacturers to certain states and restricting Remdesivir sales only within the state where the drug is being produced, saying such a move would be “very damaging” to the availability of such valuable drugs in places of need.
The state has vaccinated over 50 lakh persons above the age of 45 years since January 16 when the drive began across India. The state continues to receive supplies from Serum Institute of India (SII), and Bharat Biotech, the two companies that manufacture vaccines in the country, but the government wants the consignment to reach well in advance.
“With the vaccination gaining pace, I would request that an assured supply of at least ten days consumption of vaccine, of about 20 lakh doses, may be supplied well in advance to ensure that vaccination drive in the individual sites are not affected and persons coming for second dose are assured of vaccination on the date and in the site they report,” Palaniswami told Modi in the letter.
He also said it notice that directions are being issued by national and certain state regulators, prioritising supplies by individual manufacturers to certain states and restricting Remdesivir sales only within the state where the drug is being produced.
“This would be very damaging to the availability of such valuable life saving drugs in places of need. At this stage, any restrictive orders by individual states should be strictly barred to ensure easy accessibility of Remdesivir. I urge the Government of India to take up this issue with such states where the companies have their production facilities located,” he said.
The state government currently has 31,000 Remdesivir vials and is expecting more supplies in the coming days. As the drug is in shortage in the market, the state government has also been supplying Remdesivir to private hospitals on a case-to-case basis.