Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das has urged Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to supply adequate COVID vaccine to the state.
Das requested Dr Harsh Vardhan to take necessary steps for supplying 25 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine to the State immediately as 10 days stock.
In a letter to the Union Minister on Wednesday, Das requested him to step up vaccination of vulnerable persons at the earliest to check the spike in coronavirus in the state. Das said Odisha is presently vaccinating nearly 2.5 lakh persons daily.
The Odisha Health Minister said 700 vaccination centers have been closed due to shortage of coronavirus vaccine in the State. Due to diligent management of vaccine resource, the State has achieved a negative vaccine wastage of •0.5%. i.e. o vaccine savings of 0.5%.
As of April 7 there was a stock of 5.34 lakh doses of Covishield in the State, the letter said and added that with such a stock the vaccination will continue for the next two days. The State will run out of stock by April 9.
Expressing concern that such a scenario will adversely impact the timely administration of second dose of vaccine and will delay vaccination of citizens (45 years and above).
Das said this matter has been raised repeatedly by the Additional Chief Secretary, Health Family welfare Department.
