Stalin asks Central government to supply more vaccines to Tamilnadu
DMK president MK Stalin has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to supply more Covaxin and Covishield vaccines to Tamilnadu commensurate with the state population to accomplish the task of effective vaccinations, break the cycle of infection and flatten the curve.
Stalin also asked the Centre to take a policy decision for “universal vaccination” and allow states to independently procure drugs, vaccines and medical equipment.
In his letter to the PM, Stalin referred to the existing vaccine policy of the Centre and said, “With these kinds of restrictions on vaccination drive, it is highly impossible to vaccinate even the needy people as prioritised by the Government of India. In the State of Tamil Nadu, only 46.70 lakh have been vaccinated as on date and out of which 40.64 lakh administered the first dose and 6.05 lakh have received the second dose.”
Claiming that there was a huge vaccine shortage across the state and people going to the government hospitals for vaccination are reportedly turned back for want of vaccine, Stalin said the state government has reportedly demanded 20 lakh vaccine of Covaxin and Covishield from GoI to meet the vaccination demand of the state – even according to the prevalent guidelines. He also asked the PM to “intervene immediately and direct the concerned Ministry to supply more number of Covaxin and Covishield vaccines to Tamil Nadu commensurate with the population of the state besides immediately sending 20 lakh vaccines as requisitioned by the state government.”