Rajasthan health minister slams Centre over vaccine shortage

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma claimed that the entire population of the state will be vaccinated within the next two months if there is adequate vaccine supply from the Centre. Last day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pointed out actual Covid-19 vaccination rate in India is 27 per cent below its target rate to avoid a potential third wave of Covid.

New Delhi: In yet another blow to the Centre over Covid vaccine shortage in various states, Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma, on Monday, claimed that the state will vaccinate the entire population in the next two months if the Center provides an adequate amount of vaccine doses. The statement comes days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeted the Central Government, pointing out that India's actual Covid-19 vaccination rate is 27 per cent below its target rate to avoid a potential third wave of the pandemic.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Raghu Sharma said, "Rahul Gandhi has put out the truth about our vaccination rate. But unfortunately, Central Government is not taking it in a sportsman's spirit. The reality is states are not getting the adequate number of vaccines doses. In Rajasthan, our capability is to vaccinate 15 lakh people per day. But if we don't get the adequate amount of vaccine, how can we vaccinate our people in a time-bound manner?"

Meanwhile, last week, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had hit out at the Congress leader by claiming that 12 crore vaccine doses will be available in the month of July, separate from the supply to private hospitals. "Who has got these 12 crore vaccines? Since January 16, Rajasthan has received a total number of 2.5 crore vaccines. There was zero wastage of vaccines," Sharma said over this matter.

He further added, "Now they are saying that they will give 65 lakh vaccine doses in the month of July but 75 lakh people are waiting for their second dose. If we are not able to provide the second dose of vaccine to people, then what is the meaning of giving the first dose to the people?"

He informed that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he had made a request to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to supply the adequate amount of vaccine doses. Even though they received a reply, there was no mention of vaccines. On the matter of vaccine shortage in Rajasthan, the State Minister said that the Central Government is raising "false allegations" on Rajasthan regarding the wastage of vaccine doses.