Stressing the need to avoid vaccine wastage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, 18 May, assured that continuous efforts were being taken in a big way to increase vaccine supply, as several states were reeling under an acute shortage of doses.
Modi interacted with officials from various districts and states and sought their suggestions on handling the second COVID wave, especially in semi-urban and rural areas.
"The vaccination drive will continue amid all this and you all must ensure that there is no wastage of vaccines. Vaccine wastage can be brought down to zero if we follow the best practices. You all are also the logistical heads of all these efforts and your efforts in these areas must be flawless," PM Modi said, addressing the officials.
He also said that continuous efforts are being made to ramp up vaccine supply on a large scale. The Health Ministry is streamlining the system and process of vaccination, and attempts are being made to give a schedule of the next 15 days to the states in advance, he further said, according to a statement by his office.
The PM “informed that work is being done rapidly to install oxygen plants in hospitals in every district of the country through PM CARES Fund and these plants have already started functioning in many hospitals”.
‘District Magistrates Are Field Commanders’
District magistrates of 46 districts from nine states took part in the virtual meeting. He dubbed the officials “field commanders” in the fight against the pandemic.
“There are different challenges in every district of our country. You understand the challenges of your district best. When your district wins, it is the country’s victory. If your district defeats COVID-19, so does the country.”Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Highlighting the crisis, Modi said that a few states had recorded a dip in the number of COVID-19 cases but a few had seen an exponential rise, he stressed on the need to be more vigilant in the face of decreasing infections.
“He emphasised that the fight is to save every single life and the focus should be in rural and inaccessible areas. He requested the officials to make the relief material easily accessible for the rural population.”PMO statement
He urged officials to bring back the focus on containment zones, aggressive testing, and sending correct and complete information to the people.
The PM also condemned black marketing of COVID-related drugs and asked the states to take strict action against those who do so.
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