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Jumla hai, vaccine nahi: Rahul Gandhi slams centre over vaccine shortage
The Opposition’s constant attack comes amid the weekly pace of vaccination declining to nearly 60% of what it was in the week after June 21, when the Centre entirely took over vaccine procurement from the states
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the government over the shortage of Covid-19 vaccine in several states.
The Congress leader tweeted, “Jumla hai, Vaccine nahi (There is rhetoric, there is no vaccine)”, in Hindi using the hashtag “WhereAreVaccines”. He tagged a media report claiming that Delhi, along with many other states, was facing a shortage of vaccines, which the Centre has denied.
Congress leader P Chidambaram, too, hit out at the government regarding the vaccination programme on Tuesday, citing shortages reported by Delhi and Odisha.
“Vaccine shortage is a fact. Vaccine production is exaggerated. Vaccine import is a mystery. Vaccinating the entire adult population by December 2021 is an empty boast,” the former Union minister said.
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“Will the new health minister Mansukh Mandaviya tell the nation the truth about the vaccination programme?” Chidambaram asked.
Chidambaram said the numbers of ministers is increasing (in the new Union Cabinet) but not the Covid-19 vaccine stock in the country.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechury on Sunday also hit out at the Centre, saying that a “bulky Cabinet” was not going to be useful if public investments were not increased.
The Opposition’s constant attack comes amid the weekly pace of vaccination declining to nearly 60% of what it was in the week after June 21, when the Centre entirely took over vaccine procurement from the states. The slackening has resulted in several states complaining of a shortage and an inability to cater to demand.
On Tuesday, at least three states-- New Delhi, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu-- reported shortage of vaccines, with some saying they had to shut down vaccination centres, even as the Union government denied there were constraints in supplies.
“We are running a marathon, not a sprint; and need to understand its challenges. We are regularly hand-holding states and vaccine manufacturers . The production of vaccines is being augmented gradually. In some time, there will be more doses available,” said Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary, Union health ministry, while replying during a press briefing on states facing vaccine shortage last week.
