The Centre on Thursday, 8 April, increased the supply of vaccines to Maharashtra from 7 lakh doses to 17 lakh doses, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said, adding that it is still inadequate for the requirements of the state.
The increase in doses from the Centre came after Tope had earlier accused it of “discrimination” against the state while other states with lesser population and cases were being given more vaccines.
“I have just been informed that the Centre increased COVID-19 vaccine doses from 7 lakhs to 17 lakhs. Even this is less because we need 40 lakh vaccine doses a week and 17 lakh doses are not enough,” Tope told ANI, adding that the issue will be raised in a meeting of the chief ministers.
“According to the latest release order of vaccines from the Centre, Maharashtra has been given 7.5 lakh vaccine dosages only. While Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana etc have been given far more vaccines than Maharashtra,” Tope had earlier said.
“I talked to Dr Harsh Vardhan immediately after this, even Sharad Pawar talked to him. I raised issue of discrimination with us. We have most number active patients, positivity rate and death with 12 crore population. Why we are given so few vaccines,” he had asked.
Tope said that the state needs 1.6 crore vaccine dosages per month and 40 lakh every week as 6 lakh people are being vaccinated daily.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Rahul Ramesh Shewale has also submitted a letter to Dr Harsh Vardhan requesting him to instruct the concerned authority to increase vaccine doses for Maharashtra.
‘Bid to Defame Maha Government’: Jayant Patil
Earlier, taking to Twitter, state minister Jayant Patil had said that lesser doses were deliberately being given to the state in order to defame the Maharashtra government.
Patil said that while Maharashtra has the highest number of patients in the country, it should get the highest number of vaccines, but it was not being allowed on purpose, adding that “some people in Delhi want the public health system in Maharashtra not to function properly.”
“The Union Health Minister did not have complete information about Maharashtra or he was given incomplete information. I doubt whether attempts are being made to defame Maharashtra by issuing circulars before ascertaining the proper information of State,” Tope tweeted, adding that “the role of central government is non cooperative with Maha Vikas Aghadi government.”
Amid a second wave of the pandemic, the state of Maharashtra is the worst-hit with CM Uddhav Thackeray urging people to follow protocols to avoid a lockdown.
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