Odisha Sends ‘Stocks For 3 Days’ SOS To Centre, Seeks Immediate Supply Of Covishield Vaccine

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday sent an SOS to the Centre seeking immediate supply of at least 15 to 20 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine for ensuring smooth and unbroken inoculation drive.

This is the fifth letter from the state over vaccine shortage.

In the letter to Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) PK Mohapatra reiterated the need for immediate supply of Covishield vaccine to the state to ensure timely administration of the second dose of vaccine.

At 10 am on April 6, Odisha had 3,47,180 doses of Covishield and 1,36,820 doses of Covaxin vaccine in stock. At present, there is no Covishield vaccine in regional and district vaccine stores. “The 3, 49,130 doses of Covishield received on today afternoon will be distributed soon,” the letter read.

Mohapatra stressed that the state can conduct vaccination sessions for only three more days with the available stock. “After that, there will be stock out of Covishield vaccine in the entire state,” he wrote.

He had shot off a letter the previous day calling for supply of at least 15 lakh doses of Covishield immediately.

Also Read: COVID Vaccines To Reach Odisha This Afternoon; Inadequate & Will Last For 3 Days, Says Govt

More 35.67 lakh doses of vaccine have so far been administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and people of 45 years and above. Since April 1, the state has been covering more than 2.31 lakh beneficiaries a day.

In March, the government had cried ‘discrimination’ in the supply of vaccine to the state. “We are unable to plan vaccination sessions for even 15 days in advance due to insufficient and erratic vaccine supply to our state. It is seen that other states are achieving up to 3 lakh vaccination daily due to adequate vaccine supply. It is requested that there should not be any discrimination between states in the supply of vaccines,” Mohapatra wrote.

Also Read: Odisha Discriminated In COVID Vaccine Supply! Govt Shoots Off Another Letter