Rajasthan has joined a slew of other states who have flagged the issue of vaccine shortage amid a surge in daily COVID-19 cases across the country in what is being called the second wave of the pandemic.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 April indicating that the vaccine stock will finish within 2 days, and asked for another 30 lakh doses to be provided immediately.
“The present stock of vaccine in Rajasthan will finish in the next 2 days, request at least another 30 lakh doses of vaccine be provided immediately,” said the letter, as quoted by ANI.
At least six states – Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Odisha, Telangana, and Maharashtra – have reported shortage of the Covishield vaccine, which is one of two COVID vaccines approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Congress Slams Modi, BJP Hits Back
Earlier, on Thursday, 8 April, ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s meet with chief ministers to assess the COVID situation in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted that the Centre is continuously monitoring and enhancing vaccine supply. He added that there is no shortage of the vaccine, and nearly 2.4 crore doses are still available.
“Vaccine supplies are being monitored on a real-time basis, and state governments are being apprised regularly about it. Allegations of vaccine shortage are utterly baseless”.Dr Harsh Vardhan
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised the Centre and PM Modi on 9 April, by writing a letter expressing concerns over the shortage of COVID vaccines and offering recommendations for the same. Gandhi also tweeted that the shortage of vaccines amid the growing COVID-19 crisis was a "very serious problem" and not a "festival".
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit back at Rahul Gandhi on 9 April, asking why he himself had not taken the COVID vaccine yet in a series of tweets. He said, "India is not facing vaccine starvation but Shri Gandhi is facing attention starvation. Why has Rahul Gandhi not yet taken vaccine?”
Second Wave
Meanwhile, over 9.43 crore vaccine doses have been administered in India since the inoculation drive began on 16 January. Currently, anyone above the age of 45 is eligible to get the shot.
The country has been witnessing a rapid rise in the number of daily cases over the last few weeks. On Friday, 1,31,968 new cases were reported, taking the tally in the country to 1,30,60,542. The death toll increased by 780 to 1,67,642.
This was the biggest one-day rise in cases in the country since the pandemic began.
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