K.T. Rama Rao, the Information Technology and Urban Development Minister of Telangana, took a dig at the Central Government for shortage of vaccines against the Wuhan virus.
On the 26th of May, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Minister said, “While Hyderabad is the vaccine hub of the world, vaccine manufacturer for the world, it is unfortunate that we don’t have vaccines for our own people.”
The statements were made during the inauguration of a COVID-19 centre in Cyberabad. KTR said, “If we are given enough vaccines, our Government has the capability to administer one million doses per day. We can cover the entire state in 45 days. It’s unfortunate that the demand supply equation is quite bad in the country. The demand is quite high while supply is meagre and everything is governed by the Centre.”
During the event he said, the State Government hoped for a better situation and the State Government would receive enough doses of the Wuhan virus vaccine for the people.
KTR said, “I am also told that there are vaccines which are lying idle elsewhere in the world, in Canada, Denmark and the United States of America (U.S.A.) There are vaccines which are pending approval and there are vaccines already approved and which are lying idle elsewhere without consumption and without demand.”
KTR also asked the Central Government to step up its efforts and allow more vaccine manufacturers to enter the country so that the demand supply gap is covered. Pointing out that Punjab and several state governments have been told by vaccine manufacturers that they don’t want to deal directly with the states, he hoped that the Centre would take states into confidence, understand their requirements and allow more vaccine makers to meet the demand.
K.T. Rama Rao said, vaccination is the only solution to control the current second wave of the deadly Wuhan virus. In regard to successfully vaccinating the majority of people, the State and Central Government need to work together, instead of planning individual strategies.
Meanwhile, it is to be noted, only 2 % of the population of Telangana are fully vaccinated. Approximately 8.3 lakh people are fully vaccinated with both the doses and close to 43.71 lakh people received their first vaccination doses against the Wuhan virus.
The total population of Telangana is close to 4 crores.
