With Punjab lagging behind several other states in terms of per capita free vaccination for the 18-plus, the Amarinder Singh-led government has blamed the Centre for bias in supply of doses as compared to the BJP-ruled states.
The state also raked up the issue in a video-conference with the Union ministry of health.
“Not only Punjab but other opposition-ruled states have also taken up the matter with the Centre. Punjab was given 1.36 lakh doses on Wednesday with the state’s stock nearly 2.3 lakh doses. We have around 76,000 doses of Covaxin,” said a senior government functionary
Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the Centre has not been providing enough vaccine to Punjab even as the vaccination drive has picked up pace in the BJP-ruling states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
“Haryana administered a record 5 lakh jabs in a day because they were having more stock of jabs. Similarly, an average vaccines administered daily in MP before June 20 was 1.75 lakh and it surprisingly increased to 17 lakh on June 21. It is a nine-fold increase. Also, Karnataka has made over five-fold increase in giving vaccines due to adequate supply of shots. The same is the case with Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat,” he added.
Sidhu claimed that these BJP-ruled states have received the supply of not less than 5-17 lakh in a single day, while Punjab got just 16 lakh doses from June 1 to June 24. “This exposes the disparity in the supply of vaccine,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Sidhu claimed that these BJP-ruled states have received the supply of not less than 5-17 lakh in a single day, while Punjab got just 16 lakh doses from June 1 to June 24. “This exposes the disparity in the supply of vaccine,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The gap between the demand and supply in states is a matter of concern and equal distribution of vaccine is crucial for the success of the world’s biggest immunisation drive to save precious lives, the minister said.
“If Punjab will have a stock of 2 lakh doses, it will automatically give 1-1.5 lakh a day. I have written to the Union health minister in this regard,” Sidhu said.
In May, the state received just 17 lakh doses, while it got 16 lakh shots in June so far.
Doses administered in state (CoWin App)
Districts on top
District Vaccinated
Ludhiana 8,84,503
Jalandhar 6,12,901
Mohali 5,49,118
Amritsar 4,59,016
Hoshiarpur 4,57,978
Districts on bottom
Districts Vaccinated
Mansa 77,984
Fatehgarh Sahib 87,173
Barnala 91,198
Fazilka 1,20,192
Faridkot 1,21,483