Delay hits delivery of vaccines to Tripura

In a setback to Tripura's plan to vaccinate the state's citizens above 18 years of age, vaccine makers have said the state will get its supplies after a delay of up to 20 days.

Agartala: Tripura will get a delayed delivery of Covishield vaccine doses for the next phase of vaccination slated to begin on May 01. As per schedule, vaccination for people belonging to the age group above 18 years was supposed to commence on May 1, but due to Serum Institute's priority-based delivery system, Tripura would receive the doses about 20 days later. Thus the North Eastern state will fail to start the vaccination for the next phase on the pre-scheduled time, Director National Health Mission Siddhartha Shiv Jaiswal said on Wednesday.

However, the ongoing process of vaccination for people above the age of 45 years shall continue uninterrupted as the central government is sending regular consignments of the vaccines for that.

“Right now, Tripura has 1.64 lakh doses of vaccines stored which is enough for the next three to four days if the state goes with its routine vaccination drive”, said Jaiswal.

He said, as per the election data, Tripura requires 32 lakh doses of vaccines to complete the next phase of vaccination. As per the rules, it will now directly procure vaccines from the manufacturer. Tripura government has earmarked Rs 133.19 crore for the purchase of the doses and an adequate number of pertaining materials such as syringes and other overhead expenses.

“At the first place, we have sent a requisition of 16 lakh vaccine doses. We have appealed to the Serum Institute to send the first 8 lakh doses by May 1 and rest of the 8 lakh by May 15 next. We have been told by the vaccine manufacturers that the first shipment will be late by at least 20 days as they are already committed to other states who are in an emergency situation. In addition, they are also supplying 50 percent of the total production to the central government so that the ongoing vaccination process of aged people remains uninterrupted”, said Yadav.

Replying to a query whether the unprecedented delay would cause any harm to the present process, he said, "the priority based vaccination will continue as it is”.

He also said that by May 15 to 20 next, the state would be receiving seven oxygen plants from the ministry of health and family welfare.

"We will receive seven Oxygen plants in the state by May 15 to 20. Apart from that, we have sent a list of 17 subdivision hospitals and crucial community health centres where Oxygen plants are very much required", he said.

According to him, in all the districts of Tripura a 100-bed Covid treatment facilities are ready with a 10-bed facilty for moderate patient care.

Separate life support ambulances have been also pressed into action at these facilities for speedy transportation of the patient to the next level of treatment.

According to NHM data, a total of 8 lakh 39 thousand people have been vaccinated, which accounts for above 24 percent of Tripura’s total population.