Maharashtra Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, on Monday, stated that the decision on ‘free vaccine’ against COVID-19 for people of the state should be announced by the chief minister and any attempt by others to take credit for it is deplorable.
Thorat’s resentment came a day after Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik said the state government will float global tenders for providing affordable and quality anti-COVID 19 vaccines for free to adult citizens below 45 years of age.
Slamming the ‘premature’ announcement by Nawab Malik, Thorat said, “We Congress leaders have demanded that vaccine should be given free of cost. CM is also contemplating on this and is yet to take the final call. But just to take credit someone announced it, this we didn’t like, and as Congress, we are not happy with such announcement.”
On Sunday Maharashtra minority development minister Nawab Malik announced that the state would bear the cost of vaccination for those over 18 years. “During our last cabinet meeting, we had decided that those between 18 and 45 years would be given free vaccine and only yesterday our deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said we would float global tenders for vaccines and innoculate all in the state. The process for procurement has started and it would soon start the vaccination drive,” said Malik
Endorsing free vaccines, Maharashtra tourism and environment minister Aditya Thackeray took to Twitter and wrote: “The Govt of Maharashtra has decided to vaccinate its citizens free of cost. This is not something that we think of as a choice, but a duty that we consider of utmost importance: protecting the citizens from Covid; We are also ensuring that the procurement happens at the earliest so that we have ample vaccines to keep the momentum of efficient, smooth and fast vaccination of all citizens of Maharashtra. A safer Maharashtra is our way to ensure a safer India! Likewise for other States.”
However, Thackeray later deleted the tweet and in a follow-up tweet, said, “I have deleted the earlier tweet as to not cause confusion regarding the official vaccination policy of Maharashtra that would be fully ensuring fast, efficient vaccination and would leave nobody behind; The official policy of vaccination will be declared by the empowered committee and we must await its recommendation for a fair policy for all sections of society. My apologies for the confusion if it all it may have caused.”
SHORTAGE OF VACCINES
Mumbai is again facing an acute vaccine shortage. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday said that owing to the limited stock of COVID-19 vaccines, over 70 percent vaccination centres in Mumbai will remain non-functional on Sunday.
“Owing to limited supply of vaccines, CVCs will either be functional in the first half or till stocks last with preference to beneficiaries coming in for their second dose,” BMC said in a tweet.
With just five days to go for the third phase of the nationwide vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) from May 1, when doses will be administered to all citizens above the age of 18, the state is already facing a shortage of vaccines. BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal said that this will mean that an 80 lakh population will be due for vaccination.
At present, the BMC has 21,704 beds and 4,114 are vacant. On Sunday, wing C of the jumbo centre is being opened and 1,500 beds are being added, said Chahal.
Meanwhile, BMC has received new doses of vaccines. “We have received 1.5 Lakh stock of Covishield vaccine today. All vaccination centres in Mumbai shall be functional on Monday. However Covaxin will be available only at select centres for 2nd dose due to extremely limited existing stock,” said BMC Commissioner.
The temporary closure of private vaccination centres has led to overcrowding at civic centres in the Maximum City.
Even on Thursday, citizens had to wait in long queues to take the jabs at BKC and Dahisar jumbo facilities. BKC had also suspended the inoculation drive on Friday. Many vaccination centers were facing a shortage of vaccines by 2 pm on Saturday.