Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian, along with Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan, will meet the Union Health Minister in New Delhi on July 9 and discuss the issues of COVID-19 vaccine supplies and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Madurai, project.
The Minister told reporters on Tuesday that at present, there was no vaccine stock in the State. The demand was high owing to more awareness, while vaccination of construction workers, sportspersons, persons with disabilities, mediapersons and pregnant and lactating women began across the State.
Referring to BJP State president L. Murugan’s demand for a White Paper on the doses supplied, utilised and wasted, Mr. Subramanian said the government had been giving details of supply and utilisation every day. “Tamil Nadu paid ₹99.84 crore and procured 29,92,000 doses directly. This apart, the Centre has supplied 1,57,76,550 doses till now. Vaccines were wasted during the previous government... Before May, at least 3.5 lakh-4 lakh doses were wasted,” he said.
While the total supplied doses were 1,57,76,550, the State had so far administered 1,58,78,600 doses, he said. “We have 63,460 doses at hand, including for the vaccination of mediapersons today [on Tuesday]. How did we manage to administer nearly 1.75 lakh more doses after overcoming the wastage? Around 10-12 persons can be vaccinated with a vial. If only four persons come for vaccination and a vial is opened, the remaining doses are wasted... This was how nearly four lakh doses were wasted earlier. Now we take into account the number of persons waiting and open the vial accordingly. By streamlining, we have avoided wastage,” he said.
“I, along with the Health Secretary, will visit New Delhi to meet the Union Health Minister to discuss vaccine supplies and AIIMS,” he said. “Let the leader come with us and ask his leaders to get us more vaccines,” he said of Mr. Murugan without naming him.
Among others, Member of Parliament (Chennai South) Thamizhachi Thangapandian and Dr. Radhakrishnan were present.
