NEW DELHI: Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday lashed out at Maharashtra and some other state governments for their remarks about the Covid vaccination drive.
In a strongly-worded statement, Vardhan said such "irresponsible statements" are "deplorable attempts" by these states to distract attention from their own failures.
He also accused them of spreading panic among the people.
"In recent days, I have seen with growing dismay a number of irresponsible statements from some State government functionaries in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic," Vardhan said.
The health minister said he is compelled to set the "record straight" since such statements have the potential to mislead the public and spread panic.
"Most concerning of all are the statements being made by a section of political leaders asking to open up vaccination to everyone above the age of 18, or to drastically lower the minimum age criteria for vaccination eligibility," he said.
He was referring to demands by both Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray that the Centre should lower the age limit for vaccinations.
Vardhan said the vaccination strategy has been drawn up after extensive deliberations and consultations in partnership with all state governments.
He stressed that the primary aim of vaccination is to reduce mortality among the most vulnerable people and enable the society to beat the pandemic.
"Accordingly, the world’s largest vaccination drive was launched in India with the first recipients being our healthcare personnel and frontline workers. Once this had progressed to a certain level, vaccination was opened up to further categories and is currently open to everyone above the age of 45 years," he said, adding that the vaccinations are free of cost at government facilities.
He said that since the supply of vaccines remains limited, the government has no option but to prioritise whom to inoculate.
Presenting some facts, Vardhan singled out Maharashtra and said it is yet to even inoculate all healthcare and frontline workers in the state.
"When states ask to open up vaccine supplies to everyone over 18, we must presume that they have done saturation coverage of healthcare workers, frontline workers and senior citizens.
"Maharashtra has vaccinated just only 86% of health workers with first dose. The equivalent numbers for Delhi and Punjab are 72% and 64%. On the other hand, 10 Indian states/UTs have done more than 90%.
Maharashtra has vaccinated just 41% of healthcare workers with second dose. Equivalent numbers for Delhi and Punjab are 41% and 27%. There are 12 Indian states/UTs that have done more than 60%," he said.
He said the figures indicate that political leaders in the state are trying to divert the focus from their "poor" vaccination efforts.
"Doesn’t it seem evident that these states are trying to divert attention from their poor vaccination efforts by just continuously shifting the goal-posts? Politicising such a public health issue is a damning indictment of certain political leaders who should know better," he said.
He also responded strongly to statements by Maharashtra leaders highlighting the shortage of Covid vaccines in the state, calling the allegations "utterly baseless".
"This is nothing but an attempt to divert attention from Maharashtra government’s repeated failures to control the spread of pandemic. The inability of Maharashtra government to act responsibly is beyond comprehension," Vardhan said.
Earlier, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope had said the state is in short supply of vaccines, adding its stocks will get over in just three days.
Vardhan, in his statement, continued his tirade against Maharashtra and said the "lackadaisical attitude" of the state government has singularly bogged down the entire country's efforts against Covid.
"Throughout the last year, as the health minister of India, I have been a witness to the misgovernance and utter casual approach of Maharashtra government in battling the virus," he said.
He said that the Centre has regularly counselled the Maharashtra government, made available all resources and sent central teams for help.
"However, the lack of efforts of the part of the state government is now clearly visible and come to haunt us all," he said.
Criticising the state's handling of the pandemic, Vardhan said that testing has not been up to the mark and contact tracing efforts "leave a lot to be desired".
He further accused the MVA government of sleeping happily at the wheel while putting the lives of Maharashtrians in danger.
"It is shocking to see how the state government is putting Maharashtrians in danger by letting people escape institutional quarantine mandate for the sake of their personal Vasuli (extortion). Overall, as the state has lurched from one crisis to another, it seems as if the state leadership is happily sleeping at the wheels."
He also lashed out at the Congress government in Chhattisgarh, which is also witnessing a steep surge in infections.
"We have seen regular comments by leaders from Chhattisgarh that are intended to spread misinformation and panic on vaccination. I would like to humbly state that it would be better if the state government focusses its energies on ramping up their health infrastructure rather than on petty politicking," he said.
Highlighting the disproportionately higher number of deaths in the state, Vardhan said their testing remains heavily dependent on rapid antigen tests "which is not a wise strategy".
He also called out the Chhattisgarh government for refusing permission to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin despite it getting regulatory nod.
"Not only this, by its actions, the leaders of the state government have the dubious distinction of being perhaps the only government in the word to have incited vaccine hesitancy," he said.
Vardhan identified a few other states where Covid-related efforts must be boosted.
"Quality of testing needs to improve in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat. In Punjab, high case fatality rate needs to be improved by early identification of those needing hospitalization. Mask-wearing and social distancing compliance are slack in a large number of states. There is a lot that needs to be done, and we must do it all with speed and at scale," he said.
Urging states to avoid playing politics amid pandemic, he said that India must work together to defeat the pandemic.
"Let us not squander the gains we have made and focus on our solemn public duty," he concluded.