Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday accused the BJP-led Central government of indulging in lopsided, politically-biased distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and critical medical equipment such as PPE kits, N95 masks and ventilators in the country.
Mr. Chavan said, “Maharashtra has the highest COVID-19 case load, but we are facing step-motherly treatment from the Central government in the supply of vaccines, according to the State Health Minister. This is not limited to the distribution of vaccines, but as per a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, the government has given details of the quantities of critical medical equipment supplied to each State as of February 10. If we project the total quantity supplied over the patient case load in each State, we get a shocking picture.”
Mr. Chavan said as per the reply in the Lok Sabha, Gujarat received 9,623 N95 masks per 1,000 patients, while Maharashtra received just 1,560 masks. “Even Uttar Pradesh received 3,916 masks, more than twice than that of Maharashtra. Gujarat got 4,951 PPE kits per 1,000 patients, Uttar Pradesh got 2,446 kits and Maharashtra just 223 kits,” he said.
Gujarat was given 13 ventilators per 1,000 patients, U.P. seven, Maharashtra two and Kerala got even fewer ventilators. He said, “In all categories, Gujarat received the lion’s share of medical equipment, which was disproportionate to the case load.” Mr. Chavan said the Prime Minister seemed to be forgetting that he was the PM of the entire country and not just Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and other BJP-ruled States.