CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has requested the Centre to frontload the COVID-19 vaccine supplies for June from the first week itself. He also renewed the appeal to start production of vaccines at the Integrated Vaccine Complex at Chengalpattu at the earliest.
The Chief Minister, in a letter to the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan, underscored the fact that Tamil Nadu had not received vaccines proportionate to its population size and caseload and that this could be corrected only by a special allocation of 50 lakh doses each under the Centre's channel and other channels.
In this connection, the Chief Minister said, "Under the latest allotment, we have been allocated 25.84 lakh doses under the former and 16.74 lakh doses under the latter. I thank you for the allotment." But he also pointed out that the above allotment is just commensurate with the broader increase at the national level and Tamil Nadu government's request for a special allotment to correct the earlier lower allocation was still to be addressed.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the efforts taken by the Tamil Nadu government during the last one month in eliminating vaccine hesitancy and how the state government had emerged successful in creating tremendous demand for vaccines among the state's populace.
Stalin also renewed his request to look into this issue and ensure that Tamil Nadu is allocated vaccines at levels similar to comparable states.
Referring to the state government's request for handing over the vaccine complex at Chengalpattu, the Chief Minister said subsequently the Centre had informed that it intended to bring in a partner on its own to operate the plant.
"While I would like to reiterate our earlier request, I wish to highlight to you the urgency of the moment, given the need for immediate commencement of production. Irrespective of whether it is the Union government or state government which is to find the partner to operationalise the plant, the need of the hour is to ensure that there is absolutely no further delay in the process," the Chief Minister said and reassured the Tamil Nadu government's unflinching and wholehearted support in putting this national asset to its full use.