Centre, Maha face off over supply of vaccine doses

State’s stock of vax doses to last 3 more days, shuts down several centres

MUMBAI: Maharashtra is facing a shortage of Covid-19 vaccine doses and has shut down several vaccination centres. It has already requested the Centre to provide adequate stock as it has set a target of inoculating 600,000 beneficiaries a day, said Rajesh Tope, state health minister, on Wednesday.

Several states have contended they will run out of coronavirus vaccine doses within days and requested the central government for replenishments, prompting a strong rebuttal from the Union health minister Harsh Vardhan who accused three states – all under Opposition governments – of politicising the issue. But the war of words appeared to be particularly intense with Maharashtra. In his statement, Harsh Vardhan singled out Maharashtra for officials and leaders flagging possible shortage and criticised what he said was “misgovernance and utter casual approach of Maharashtra government in battling the virus”. The state is left with 1,400,000 vaccine doses, which will last only three days.