Nationwide vaccination programme ‘fairly satisfactory’: Govt | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: The off take of vaccines in proportion to supplies from manufacturers under the government’s nation-wide vaccination programme against Covid-19 is “fairly satisfactory”, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said underlining that issues are limited to just one state, indicating at Chhattisgarh that is reportedly not been using Covaxin.
“We have found that in proportion to the vaccines available with us its off take is fairly satisfactory. We have absolutely no cause for concern. Our only issue is with only a particular states – one state,” Bhushan said.
He added, health minister Harsh Vardhan has already responded to the concerns raised by the state government and is still in constant dialogue with state health minister as well as its Chief Minister.
While Chhattisgarh health minister TS Singh Deo had raised concerns about safety and efficacy of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, the Centre has countered the concerns and fears saying vaccines supplied to the state are safe and immunogenic.
“Only those Covid-19 vaccines that have been granted permission for restricted use in emergency situation by the DCGI i.e. Covishield and Covaxin are being used for Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country,” Vardhan had said in a letter earlier this month, responding to concerns raised by the state government.
The Centre has also asked the state government to expedite vaccination of its prioritized beneficiaries to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
Bhushan said the supplies of Covishield from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin are variable because of the difference in their manufacturing capacity.
“Therefore, the supplies that have come so far to the government’s vaccination programme of healthcare and frontline workers are also variable in the sense that a particular vaccine has come in higher quantities as compared to other vaccine is not in those comparable quantities,” he said.
“We have found that in proportion to the vaccines available with us its off take is fairly satisfactory. We have absolutely no cause for concern. Our only issue is with only a particular states – one state,” Bhushan said.
He added, health minister Harsh Vardhan has already responded to the concerns raised by the state government and is still in constant dialogue with state health minister as well as its Chief Minister.
While Chhattisgarh health minister TS Singh Deo had raised concerns about safety and efficacy of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, the Centre has countered the concerns and fears saying vaccines supplied to the state are safe and immunogenic.
“Only those Covid-19 vaccines that have been granted permission for restricted use in emergency situation by the DCGI i.e. Covishield and Covaxin are being used for Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country,” Vardhan had said in a letter earlier this month, responding to concerns raised by the state government.
The Centre has also asked the state government to expedite vaccination of its prioritized beneficiaries to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
Bhushan said the supplies of Covishield from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin are variable because of the difference in their manufacturing capacity.
“Therefore, the supplies that have come so far to the government’s vaccination programme of healthcare and frontline workers are also variable in the sense that a particular vaccine has come in higher quantities as compared to other vaccine is not in those comparable quantities,” he said.
