Uncertainty lingers as Congress-ruled states say no vaccines till May 15

As the second Covid-19 wave rips through India, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the vaccination drive covering 18-45 years from May 1, as health ministers from Congress-ruled states claimed Serum Institute has expressed inability to deliver the doses before May 15.

If the claims are indeed true, it will delay efforts to curb the record-breaking surge of cases that has pushed the rickety health infrastructure across states to the verge of collapse.

The Centre had expanded the vaccination to cover those in the age group of 18-45 during phase 3 of the drive but had put the onus of immunising them on state governments.

“We spoke to Serum Institute of India, we were told that they will require time till May 15 to fulfil the orders placed by the Government of India. The supplies to states can begin only after that,” Raghu Sharma, Health Minister of Rajasthan, told a virtual press conference along with health ministers of Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Jharkhand.

Also read: Four Congress-ruled states accuse Centre of 'hijacking' Covid-19 vaccine stocks

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the Centre has informed the state government that delivery of vaccines for the 18-45 age group is not expected before May 15.

But BJP-ruled Karnataka said the government will launch the drive with available doses. “Karnataka is receiving periodic supply from the central government,” said KV Thrilokchandra, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare.

Karnataka currently has eight lakh doses of vaccine and additional stock will be supplied soon, he said.

On the state setting aside Rs 400 cr for one crore doses of Covidshield vaccine from Serum Institute, Thrilokchandra said that the supply schedule of the order is still awaited.

Vaccine wait

Chhattisgarh Health Minister T S Singhdeo said the state government has made elaborate arrangements to complete the vaccination of 18-45 years age group in 30-40 days.

“But how can we do vaccination when vaccines are not available?” Singhdeo asked.

Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta said the “central government has hijacked all the quota of vaccines”.

“How are the state governments supposed to carry out the vaccination drive without the vaccines?” asked Gupta.

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu demanded that the Centre pick up the entire tab for vaccination as the state governments had made no allocations for the vaccines in their respective budgets.

“The Centre had made an allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination in the Union Budget. They should spend on vaccines for everyone,” Sidhu said.

The third phase of the vaccination drive, covering the 18-45 years age group, begins on May 1.

However, the beneficiaries in this category will have to get themselves vaccinated at private vaccination centres or those set up by the state governments.

The Centre will vaccinate only those above 45 years of age, besides healthcare workers and frontline workers.