Over 15 lakh Covid vaccine doses to be supplied to TN within two days: Health Secy

CHENNAI: The Union government has promised to supply over 15 lakh Covid vaccine doses before July 12, said Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan after meeting with senior health officials in New Delhi on Friday.

TN has limited vaccine stock left and several districts have put their vaccine programmes on halt as a result. In Coimbatore, vaccinations have not been offered for a week now. Radhakrishnan who reached New Delhi on Thursday met Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan, Dr VK Paul, Chairman, National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19, and other higher officials and represented various demands of the State.

Speaking to reporters later, the secretary said that the officials have promised to supply a total of 15,87,580 doses of vaccine before July 12. “We have represented to supply two crore vaccines per month as the State has capacity to vaccinate seven to eight lakh people per day,” he said.

Vaccines should not be supplied based on the population of the State but based on how many people the State has a capacity to vaccinate in a day, he said, adding that they should consider the month’s supply and not calculate the vaccines supplied from January.

‘Only vaccination can prevent third wave’

The secretary added that the State could prevent the third wave only if it vaccinates all eligible people. The request was made to increase ICU beds, paediatric beds, Covid Care Centres and also ambulances as preparatory measures for the third wave, he added. All demands that were submitted by the Chief Minister as a memorandum to the Central government were stressed during the Friday visit.

The Central officials also stressed to expedite the construction work of AII MS in Madurai and approval works for 11 new medical colleges. About temporarily accommodating AIIIIMS medical students in other medical colleges, he said the decision of the State will be submitted to the Centre on July 16. Getting integrated vaccine complex in Chengalpattu operational and supplying raw materials to Pasteur’s Institute of India in Coonoor for vaccine production were stressed, he added.