HC asks UP govt to form pandemic public grievance panel in every dist

PRAYAGRAJ : The Allahabad high court on Tuesday expressed unhappiness over an affidavit filed by the state government indicating that the number of Covid-19 tests was reducing gradually and it (the affidavit) not giving information regarding the number of ambulances in the state or sufficient details of meals provided to Covid patients at government hospitals.

“Even the statistics which has been given in the affidavit qua testing in State surprisingly discloses that a number of testing has been reduced gradually. Even the details regarding oxygen production in the State qua 22 hospitals have not been given, ” the bench comprising Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ajit Kumar said while hearing a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on “conditions of quarantine centres and for providing better treatment to corona positives” in Uttar Pradesh.

The court also directed the state government to constitute within 48 hours a three-member pandemic public grievance committee in every district of Uttar Pradesh to look into the grievances of the public with regard to the difficulties faced in Covid-19 treatment in the state.

Each pandemic public grievance committee would comprise a CJM (chief judicial magistrate) or a judicial officer, a professor of a medical college and an administrative officer of the rank of additional district magistrate.

The court further directed that in the rural areas, complaints can be made directly to SDM (subdivisional magistrate) of the tehsil concerned who shall transmit the same to the pandemic public grievance committee. The committee itself will also look into all the news that goes “viral”.

Not satisfied with the affidavit filed by Badugu Deva Paulson, secretary (Home), government of Uttar Pradesh, the bench said that neither the required information as mandated by its earlier order was given nor compliance of its directions were made.

The bench went on to observe, “So far the issue of health bulletin to be issued by the Covid hospitals both government and private through the district-based portal is concerned, these portals seem to have not been updated. Simi

COURT FURTHER DIRECTED THAT IN RURAL AREAS COMPLAINTS CAN BE MADE DIRECTLY TO SDM OF THE TEHSIL

lated on pro-rata basis based upon the population of age group of 18-44 years] and the balance will go to the private sector based upon the contracts between private sector and vaccine manufacturers, according to the Centre’s affidavit, which was in compliance with a Supreme Court order to spell out the vaccination policy.

“In vaccinating the 18-44 category, the central government’s role is to ensure equitable vaccine distribution among states; it should not be the case that a bulk of doses reaches only a particular state, and another one that needs more is left waiting. Since all states need vaccines, we have to see to it that all states get it, and to ensure that the Centre regularly discusses with states and advises accordingly,” said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, Union health ministry. Agarwal did not clarify how the pro-rata population estimate was calculated.

According to a government official aware of the matter, population projections are likely be based on data sets that includes report on population projections by National Commission on Population.

The Union government’s affidavit said that it expects vaccine production to go up in the next couple of months, with Bharat Biotech producing up to 55 million doses by July and Sputnik V’s manufacturers contributing 12 million by the same month. While the government did not give a figure for the scale-up in Covishield’s production by SII, the company’s CEO said during media interviews that the monthly capacity was set to go up to 100 million by July.

In recent days, several states have raised concerns over the shortage of vaccines. Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said on Tuesday the state will need to suspend the drive for those under the age of 45 and divert some of the doses from this category for the older age groups in order to meet the second dose demand.

In Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Atishi said 125 centres where Covaxin was being given to the under-45 age group will be shut since the city has run out of doses.

Later, at a press conference, Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia accused the Centre of creating a shortage and “forcing” state governments to invite global tenders.

At least nine states have said they will float global tenders for Covid-19 vaccines.

According to data compiled by science analytics company Airfinity, several vaccine makers have already committed supplies equalling or exceeding their projected production for the year. Among the prominent vaccine makers that still have capacity are Pfizer-BioNTech (800 million doses), Novavax (300 million doses) and Gamaleya Institute (1.43 billion doses).

Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca appear to have already done deals for more than what they are expected to produce through the year.

Union health ministry officials said the focus of the vaccination drive from its perspective remained on the over-45 group since they were most vulnerable to Covid-19. States have been urged to “ensure all beneficiaries who have taken the first dose are prioritised for the second doses”, the ministry said on Tuesday following a meeting with states.

The Centre’s affidavit also identified expected vaccine production numbers for May: Serum Institute of India, which makes Covishield, was expected to produce 65 million doses, and Bharat Biotech, which makes Covaxin, is expected to churn out 20 million doses.

At an aggregate level, this number appears to be inadequate if India were to regain its peak vaccination rate of around 4 million doses a day seen in mid-April. In the most recent seven-day period, however, as supplies ran short and a resurgent wave of infections forced people indoors, this number has come down to about 2 million.

At specific levels, too, the allotments made by the Union government suggested states will not be able to sustain the pace of vaccinations in the 18-44 age group. According to the Delhi government, in the 10 days since the drive began, 365,262 people in the younger age group have been given doses (including those by private hospitals).

The Centre’s allotment for Delhi government for the month of May stood at 360,530. Even if an equal number was to be augmented by private hospitals, as per the rate seen till May 10, the shots for those in the 18-44 group for the month may run out by the third week, and overall vaccination throughout May is likely to fall short of the projected 1 million doses.

According to the Co-WIN dashboard, 173.7 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered to people in India, of which 136.5 million are first doses. Among these, 18.9 million have been given to people younger than the age of 45.

“Even though effectiveness of vaccines in disrupting transmission cycle is still not fully known, we do know that it reduces disease severity, and that will eventually also help in breaking the transmission cycle. The more vaccine, especially make in India ones, are available, better it is for the Covid-19 vaccination programme,” said Dr K Srinath Reddy, founder, Public Health Foundation of India.