A day after Maharashtra's health minister Rajesh Tope demanded 2.20 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses from the Centre, environment minister Prakash Javadekar lashed out at the state government over mismanagement of the pandemic and the poor administration of vaccines.
The minister took to the micro-blogging site Twitter and criticised the state requesting for more vaccines while pointing out at the poor administration of vaccines. Javadekar said the state government had only used 23 lakh vaccines out of the total 54 lakh vaccines sent till 12th March whereas 56 per cent vaccines remained unused.
On March 15, Tope had requested the Centre to supply 20 lakh doses per week to the state in a letter written to Union health minister, who went to Delhi on Tuesday.
"The state is planning to immunise 60-plus age group and 45-plus population with co-morbidities. It needs supply of 2.20 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine (Covishield and Covaxin) during the next three-and-a-half months. You are requested to supply 20 lakh doses per week to Maharashtra," Tope said in the letter, as per the PTI report.
Maharashtra has been the worst hit by the coronavirus infection in the country.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has recently wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, expressing disappointment over the state''s measures to curb spread of the coronavirus infection. The state does not seem to be serious about controlling the situation, the letter said.
A central delegation visited Maharashtra between March 7 and 11 and also discussed the COVID-19 situation with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Meanwhile, the situation in Maharashtra turned grimmer on Tuesday as the state recorded 17,864 new cases -- highest one-day rise this year -- and 87 deaths, a health official said. The caseload in the state rose to 23,47,328 and death toll reached 52,996.