Karnataka Technical Advisory Committee member makes explosive claim; flags O2,jab shortage

In an explosive charge, Dr. HM Prasanna accused the Karnataka government of taking all COVID-19 related decisions ignoring the advice of the Technical Advisory Committee. He is among the expert doctors and specialists who are a part of the TAC constituted by the state government in March 2020. Observing that the recommendations of the panel should be respected, he also flagged the shortage of novel coronavirus vaccines in Karnataka.

Speaking to the media, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association president Dr. Prasanna remarked, "I wrote to Chief Secretary last week that please ensure govt vaccine supplies, still the government has not responded to our request nor there's anything from CMO. Now, we're negotiating with Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India to get supplies for the entire private sector". It is pertinent to note that the inoculation drive for the 18-44 years age group has already been suspended.

The state government has ordered a total of 3 crore doses from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech and is slated to float a global tender for procuring another two crore doses. Reportedly, it is also mulling the possibility of using the Bengaluru-based Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals for manufacturing vaccines. Dr. Prasanna also raised serious concern over the "erratic" supply of oxygen. Highlighting that the micro-management of O2 supply to private hospitals hasn't been fixed so far, he called upon the Karnataka government to make a plan in this regard. 

Congress seeks to directly procure vaccines

A day earlier, Karnataka Congress unveiled an Rs.100 crore plan to procure COVID-19 vaccines directly from manufacturers and administer them to people of the state. At present, only the Centre, state governments and private sector have been allowed to buy vaccine doses. Addressing a press briefing, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar attributed this step to the failure of CM BS Yediyurappa and PM Modi to procure a sufficient number of vaccines. While Rs.10 crore will be donated by the state unit of the party, Shivakumar urged the Karnataka government to allow the use of MLA/MLC funds amounting to Rs.90 crore of Congress legislators. 

Flanked by ex-Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar remarked, “Since the Modi and Yediyurappa governments have collectively failed to vaccinate the masses, we want to do it ourselves. We just need two small permissions, one from the central government and one from the state government. My appeal to the BJP to not let politics come in the way and in the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat allow Congress to directly procure and administer vaccines."