Raj halts inoculation drive citing shortage of vaccines
Officials say the drive is likely to resume on Saturday after 350K vaccines reach Jaipur
JAIPUR: The vaccination drive against Covid-19 in Rajasthan will come to a halt on Friday, as the existing stock of vaccines has exhausted, officials of the state health department said on Thursday
“The state was left with 85,000 vaccines for 18-plus (18-44 age group) population as on Wednesday night, which will be used today (Thursday). We are expecting 350,000 vaccines from Serum Institute of India tonight. If the vaccines are received, then the vaccination drive will resume from Saturday as it takes time to send vaccines to different locations,” a senior official of health department said.
People in the 45-plus age group face similar situation. “We have around 200,000 vaccines, which will be used today, and then we have to wait for the Centre to send more,” the official said.
“On the restricted supply, the vaccine manufacturers are mentioning production limits and demand from across the country,” the official added.
About 10.46 million people have been vaccinated for Covid-19 in Rajasthan with both doses, which include 563,000 people of 18-44 age group. The state has ordered for 30.75 million vaccines to Serum Institute of India, of which till date 650,000 has been supplied. The state has also ordered for around 300,000 vaccines of Covaxin brand.
The state government has also decided to float a global tender to procure 10 million vaccines.
Rajasthan is among the 10-odd states which have announced to float global tenders to procure Covid vaccines to meet the growing demand. This comes in the wake of limited production capacity of the two existing vaccine manufacturers in the country - Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India.
Health minister Raghu Sharma said the state has demanded the vaccine from the Centre. “The state has urged Centre to provide two million vaccines immediately so that the vaccination continues. We have apprised them that in Rajasthan over 500,000 were vaccinated per day, and we have capacity to vaccinate 700,000,” he said.
He said as per the Census, the population of people above 45 years in Rajasthan is 20 million.
“If they are given two doses, then 40.5 million doses are required, including 10% wastage. The Centre has given 10 million doses, of which 215,000 were given to the army,” he said.
Sharma said in the 45-plus age group, 64.4% have been given first dose and 27.4% have been both doses.
Similarly, in the 60-plus age group, 80.7% have been given first dose and 33.1 % have been administered both the doses.
“Instead of 40.5 million, around 10.5 million doses were given to us. The state needs 30 million more doses for this category,” he said.
“We have adequate storage centres; three are in Jaipur, seven at divisional level, at medical colleges, and 2,444 cold point chains are being set up. The vaccination sites are ready, along with manpower, but if there is no vaccine, then how should these people be vaccinated with first and second dose,” he said.
Meanwhile, 350,000 vaccines from Serum Institute of India arrived Jaipur in the evening. Now, the Covid vaccination is likely to resume on Saturday.