'Centre doing image management at time of COVID management': Sisodia on vaccine shortage

Attacking the Centre over vaccine shortage in the country, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday that the Modi government was busy managing its ‘image’ by supplying vaccines to other countries rather than managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

He claimed that 60% of countries, whom the Government sold Coronavirus vaccines were reporting the least number of COVID-19 deaths. He added that the Centre sold 6.5 crore doses of vaccines to 93 countries where the pandemic was under control while it continued to wreak havoc in India.

“We have lost more than 1 lakh people due to the virus. At a time when people were dying, sick, the Centre was engaged in sending our vaccine abroad. The government has done this only to build its image and to get appreciation from the world. It was doing image management at the time of COVID management. The Centre built its image on the cost of deaths. It is criminal,” Sisodia said at a press conference.

The Minister added that no other country, be it the US, Canada, France or any European country has supplied vaccine to others at the cost of their public. “Only our government has done that. It is a cardinal sin. Today whole country is facing a serious vaccine shortage,” he added.

Sisodia urged the Centre to ensure that the vaccines being manufactured now are given to the people of India first. He stated that the Delhi government has all the machinery to vaccinate all adults in the next 3 months, given they are provided with enough doses. The Minister asked the Centre to ‘leave image management and focus and COVID-19 management by putting the country first.

Over 72 Lakh doses still available with states, UTs: Centre

The Union Health Ministry said on Sunday that over 72 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories, while over 46 lakh doses will be received by them within the next three days. More than 72 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories, while over 46 lakh doses will be received by them within the next three days,

Vaccination forms an integral component of the five-point strategy of the government of India of containment and management of the pandemic (including Test, Track, Treat and COVID-appropriate Behaviour), the ministry said. 

The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 16.90 crores, the ministry said on Saturday. According to government data, 2,86,800 beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group were administered the first dose of the vaccine on Saturday, and cumulatively 17,76,540 people in the same age group received it across 30 states and union territories. The total number of doses administered so far in the country stands at 16,92,98,763, it said.