New Delhi: Amid the shortage of anti-Covid vaccines, the AAP-led Delhi government on Monday wrote to the Centre and demanded full transparency in the vaccine allocation system.
In the letter, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) mentioned that similar to medical oxygen allocation, wherein the Centre has fixed a quota for each state and Union Territories (UTs), the same should be done for vaccine allocation.
Addressing a virtual press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who is also the Nodal minister for Covid management, said Delhi is ready to purchase vaccines but the Centre said Delhi will not be given more vaccines in May.
“The Centre has in a letter to Delhi government today has informed that Delhi will be supplied 3.83 lakh doses (3,83,000) of vaccines in May and no vaccines to be supplied for the age group 18-44 years. If vaccines are not received in the next three days, all vaccination centres for the 18-44 age group will be shut,” Sisodia said.
Sisodia told the press that the Delhi government has requested the Centre to provide vaccines for 18-44 age groups at least equal in number to the doses provided for the 45 and above age groups.
“We want to vaccinate both sections (18 to 44 and 45 and above) at the same time so that all age groups of people in Delhi can be administered vaccines before the third wave of Covid pandemic starts,” he added.
“The allocation of vaccines is being done under the supervision of the Centre and we have requested the Centre to make the system transparent. All states must be aware of how many vaccines they would be getting and how many vaccines other states would be receiving at the same time. The Centre should also direct vaccine manufacturing agencies to maintain transparency in allocating vaccines for the government (states and the Centre) and to the private agencies,” Sisodia added.
The Delhi government has also requested the Centre to inform it about the number of vaccines to be supplied in the months of June and July so that the state administration can prepare for the vaccination drive.
