Odisha wants 25 lakh doses of Covid vaccines

THE GOVERNMENT on Thursday administered

1,54,330 doses to beneficiaries in

1,050 session sites across the state

ODISHA HAS received

50,79,650 doses of

Covid-19 vaccines as of April 14.

In order to expedite the inoculation programme in the state, the Odisha government has demanded at least 25 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine in a single lot from the Centre.

According to state health minister Naba Kishore Das, short supply in vaccines from the Centre has affected progress of the immunization drive in the state. In a letter to the Union government, the minister has said the state is prepared to administer 3 lakh doses daily, but it is not getting allocated the required number of shots.

The minister had earlier written two more letters to the Union health ministry, requesting the authorities to expedite the supply of vaccines.

“I again request you to urgently supply at least 10 days of stock of Covishield (25 lakh doses) in a single lot as an emergency measure to enable

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● us to plan sessions and undertake the vaccination programme effectively,” the minister said. He also said the state had received 50,79,650 doses of

Covid-19 vaccines as of April 14.

Due to the “intermittent” supply of Covid vaccines, the sessions for immunisation “cannot be conducted as planned,” he said.

The government on Thursday administered

1,54,330 doses to beneficiaries in 1,050 session sites across the state, an official said. The state is likely to receive another consignment of 3 lakh doses of vaccines by Saturday, he said.