Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has urged his counterparts in other states to “speak in one voice and urge the Centre to take charge and responsibility of the vaccination drive like earlier.”
In a letter written to several chief ministers, including Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala, Reddy observed that “the vaccine drive is plagued by multiple coordination issues and the decision of giving the states a larger say in the vaccine procurement was something unwarranted.”
“The fact remains that last month and a half has made us realise the challenges of this drive. It has also led to a significant deviation of resources from augmenting healthcare capacities in our respective states,” Reddy wrote in the letter addressed to Vijayan.
Explaining the ground for the missive, Reddy said “he was dismayed” by the lack of response to the global tenders AP had floated for vaccine procurement.
The deadline for submission was Thursday 5 pm.
“But to my dismay, no one quoted and the reasons being the situation now being transformed into states vs Union and the approving authority being the Centre and so on and so forth. The situation no longer is in our control as far as vaccine procurement is concerned,” Reddy wrote.
“Some states feel they are not getting enough vaccines (but) global tenders floated by them are not getting the desired responses. Any delay in vaccinating the people would come at a heavy price,” Reddy warned.
Like AP, Uttar Pradesh has also not received any response and has reportedly extended the deadline till 10 June.
“The need of the hour is to increase our vaccine availability, be it through any source. A centralised and coordinated vaccination, supported by the states, would lead to wonderful results for the country's people. Therefore, I would again urge you to lend your support and we as CM's speak in one voice and ensure that India overcomes this pandemic,” Reddy appealed.
The communication is seen as yet another move by the YSRCP chief in the strong defence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is facing flak for the second wave case surge and the vaccine shortage in the country.
In an unusual tweet on 7 May, Reddy found fault with a tweet by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren criticising Modi's approach in dealing with the Covid-19 surge.
In a public display of support for Modi, normally expected of BJP leaders and CMs, Jagan had asked Soren “not to point fingers but to come together and strengthen the hands of the Prime Minister to effectively combat the pandemic.”
The opposition parties from Congress to Trinamool Congress are unified in their attack on the central government over the healthcare system crisis and the vast number of Covid-19 deaths in the second wave. Some chief ministers like Arvind Kejriwal highlighted the crippling issues of vaccine unavailability and oxygen shortage.
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