NEW DELHI: The Delhi government will be forced to close down vaccination centres for 18-44 years age group if the Centre fails to provide more COVID-19 vaccine doses to the city for the month of May, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday.
In a letter received by the Delhi government on Sunday, the Centre informed to provide 3.83 lakh vaccine doses for those aged 45 years and above, but refused any more vaccines for the 18-44 years age group in May, he said during an online briefing.
"We have four days of vaccine doses for 45 years and above people, and only three-day stock for 18-44 years age group. We will be forced to close the vaccination centres for 18-44 years age group if the Centre does not provide more doses for this month," Sisodia said.
The minister said he has demanded the Centre to provide 3.83 lakh doses for the 18-44 years age group in Delhi.
"There is a problem in supply of vaccines because the Centre exported crores of doses to many other countries. We are ready to purchase the vaccines but at least they (vaccines) should be available," he said.
In his letter to the central government, Sisodia also demanded transparency in the distribution of vaccines among different states/UTs as well as between governments and private sector.
"We understand there is a problem of production. But the Centre should make the data on vaccine doses provided by it to different states/UTs for different age categories public," he stated in the letter.
The AAP leader further said manufacturers, likewise, should also provide information on how many doses produced by them are being supplied to the governments and private sector establishments.
He also sought information from the Union government on the number of doses it will provide in June and July months so that the Delhi government can plan in advance the vaccination programme for the coming months.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government officials said under the Centre's free supply, the national capital will receive 50,000 Covishield doses on May 21, 50,000 doses on May 25, 1,00,000 doses on May 26, and 83,970 doses on May 29.
Delhi will also receive free 50,000 Covaxin doses on May 22 and 48,890 doses on May 26, they said.
The AAP-led Delhi government is yet to make any direct procurement of Covishield and Covaxin from respective manufacturers, they added.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has, however, maintained that orders for supply of 67 lakh doses each of Covishield and Covaxin were given to the manufacturers concerned.