States »EasPosted at: May 11 2021 8:43PM Andaman yet to receive even a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine for 18+ year population: BJP
Port Blair, May 11 (UNI) BJP Andaman and Nicobar president Ajoy Bairagi has urged
the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan to release
vaccines for Andaman and Nicobar Islands immediately, mentioning that Andaman and
Nicobar Islands haven’t received a single dose of vaccine yet for vaccinating the population
18 to 45 years.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister and Health Minister, Mr Bairagi mentioned, the
second wave of COVID-19 is causing a large number of deaths all over India and also in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
He said the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is increasing every day.
“Some experts are now claiming that the third wave of COVID-19 is inevitable, which may
cause more health problems for children. The best prevention is to vaccinate the population
but Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not getting sufficient number of COVID-19 vaccines
for the age group of 18 to 45 years,” he added.
He mentioned even when the central government has opened vaccination for the particular
age group from May 1 last, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands haven’t received a single dose
of vaccine for vaccinating the population 18 to 45 years.
He explained to the authorities that Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a very remote territory
with limited healthcare facilities hence the best way to save thousands from death in the
second and the expected third wave of COVID-19, is vaccinating them.
The BJP State President has requested the Prime Minister and Health minister to intervene
into this matter and direct Serum Institute of India to send at least the first installment of 1 lakh
vaccines immediately and the remaining 2.6 lakhs within two months.
Meanwhile, Andaman and Nicobar Administration is also clueless about the date of arrival of
the vaccine for 18+ population.
“We have not received vaccines for 18+ yet. We don’t know when we will receive it. Once we
get it, it will be informed,” said S K Singh, the Secretary of Andaman’s Information Publicity and Tourism Department.
As per the last update available, at present altogether there are 195 COVID-19 active cases
in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and since beginning total 6398 people have been tested
COVID-19 positive in this UT out of which 6125 people have recovered.
In first and second waves of COVID-19 altogether 78 deaths have been recorded due to
COVID-19 infection in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
UNI SKR BM