BENGALURU: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, in a high-level meeting with health ministers of 11 states, assured them that there is no shortage of vaccines, oxygen supply or Remdesivir injections, and states should now focus on creating bigger containment zones, known as ‘community quarantine’.
“States must focus on bigger containment zones to change the strategy which could yield results,” the minister told the health ministers, including Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, via video conference.
With Odisha and Andhra Pradesh flagging the issue of vaccine scarcity, Dr Vardhan said till now, the Centre has supplied 14.15 crore doses to all states and Union Territories, of which about 12.57 crore doses have been consumed. Another batch of 1.58 crore doses will reach the states in one week, he said. “I am quoting these numbers so there is no misconception about vaccine availability,” he said.
Clarifying how the Centre supplies vaccines to states, he said large states get four days’ supply together, while smaller states get seven days’ supply. “So every fourth or seventh day, vaccines are being supplied,” he said. At present, there are over 18 lakh Covid-19 beds in the country, and states should strengthen the health workforce immediately, he said.
“We have been doing genome sequencing before the UK variant came to the world’s notice. We have been doing everything required to bring the situation under control. This year, we have a vaccine to bolster our fight,” Vardhan said, urging states to send more samples for genome sequencing.
Health officials present at the meeting said increasing supply of oxygen cylinders and Remdesivir, adding ventilator stocks and enhancing vaccine supply were issues raised by 11 states and UTs. He urged states to give special focus to five or six prominent cities and map medical colleges to either these cities or adjoining two or three districts. The states were asked to seek out positive cases with the onset of early symptoms so that prompt and effective treatment can check deterioration of health, a statement from the health ministry said.