Vaccine shortage: Odisha writes to Centre again

BHUBANESWAR: The state health department on Monday once again wrote to the Centre highlighting “acute shortage of Covishield vaccine” in the state.
In a message to Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, additional chief secretary (health) Pradipta Mohapatra wrote that the state has only two days stock left.
Stating that the Union health ministry has been requested to supply minimum 15 lakh Covishield doses immediately, in view of surge in cases and impending heat wave, Mohapatra pointed out, “We have been assured only 3,49,130 doses of Covisheild to reach on April 6. This will not be sufficient for even two days.”
As on 8 am of Monday, Odisha had 7.50 lakh doses of vaccine: 6.02 lakh doses of Covishield and 1.48 lakh doses of Covaxin, Mohapatra wrote. The state has been vaccinating more than two lakh persons daily. The state vaccinated 2.63 lakh doses on Monday, reducing the stock further to 4.80 lakh doses.
Mohapatra pointed out that Odisha’s vaccine wastage rate is minus 0.5% (which means vaccine savings as each vial has 10% extra keeping possible wastage in mind).
Mohapatra’s SOS to the Centre comes on a day stock being reduced drastically in several districts. Sources said because of poor supply, districts such as Ganjam and Sambalpur have cut down on daily targets for vaccination and would be forced to reduce the number of vaccination centres unless these are supplied with more vaccines immediately.
Mohapatra on March 26 had written to the Union health secretary highlighting erratic supply and asking the Centre not to discriminate. Bhushan had written back saying “The arguments of discretion and erratic supply of vaccine” as “not tenable.” Bhushan had assured there will be no shortage of vaccine.
With 2.63 lakh more doses vaccinated on Monday, the total doses used in state rose to 35.67 lakh. So far, 4.72 lakh people have got full two doses in state.