'Vaccine vials being dumped': Harsh Vardhan directs Raj health min to ensure zero wastage

Taking a note of the reports of COVID-19 vaccine wastage in Rajasthan, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday wrote to state Health Minister Raghu Sharma. Highlighting PM Modi's statement that a loss of vaccine means inability to provide necessary protection to a person, the Union Health Minister said that all the states and Union Territories (UTs) will have to achieve the target of zero vaccine wastage. "Responsible behaviour is necessary for this," Vardhan added. 

Unused COVID vaccine vials dumped in Rajasthan

While the Central government continues talks with manufacturers abroad for procurement of enough vaccines to vaccinate the humungous population of the country by the end of the year, reports of vaccine wastage in states just do not stop to disappoint. The investigative lenses of the Republic Media Network on Monday caught unused vaccine vials dumped in cartons with used vials in Jaipur. 

When contacted one of the state officials for a statement, he outrightly shifted the blame to the Central government. "Whenever there was a vaccination drive in the country, there was a set plan- what part, what category of the population is going to be vaccinated," he said and went on to add, "Also there were directions if the leftover vials can be used to vaccinate other people." The central government has not created any such plan or issued any such direction because of which not only in Rajasthan but in states all across India, vaccines are getting wasted. He concluded, "In fact, Rajasthan is one of the states, which have so far managed to vaccinate the maximum number of people."

Talking about the same, the government stated, "We gave an advance of Rs 47 crores to Serum Institute of India (SII) and Rs 12 crores to Bharat Biotech, the former supplied us vaccines, but the latter didn't. Due to no vaccines, we have stopped vaccination. We will resume as and when we get vaccines". 

Meanwhile, the government has also made plans to approach the Supreme Court to direct the Central government to issue a global tender to procure vaccines- -so that the states can endure the cost. "Global tender doesn't help much; why should we buy vaccines at a higher price from abroad. For the Centre, it's Rs 150 but states have to pay Rs 300-400. Our government will appeal to the Supreme Court to direct the Government of India to issue global tenders & procure vaccines, & we can bear its cost," stated the Rajasthan government.

(Image: PTI, Unsplash, Twitter- @RaghuSharmaINC)