Reiterating that BJP-run states are getting relatively more vaccines, chief minister Mamata Banerjee today yet again urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide around 14 crore doses while adding that West Bengal is administering only half of its vaccination capacity.
“I am sorry to say the Central government is providing a larger number of vaccine doses to states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, which are BJP-ruled. I cannot remain a mute spectator to see Bengal deprived,” Miss Banerjee wrote to PM. Miss Banerjee reminded the PM of her several letters previously regarding vaccine shortfall from the Centre which has remained unaddressed.
She said West Bengal needs around 14 crore doses of a vaccine to cover the entire population but it has received only 2.68 crore doses so far from the central government. According to Miss Banerjee, the state has administered
3.08 crore doses till now, of which, 2.20 crore people have been administered with the first dose and 88.93 lakh with the second dose. “West Bengal is the best in the country in the utilization of vaccines with minus 7 per cent wastage,” she further wrote.
Currently, the state is administering four lakh doses per day and is capable of administering 11 lakh doses daily. “Yet we are getting a much lower number of doses despite having a very high population density,” she complained.
“It has been found that though 400 tokens are issued at a vaccination centre around 1,000 reach the venue as a result of which everybody cannot be vaccinated. I would appeal to all people who have not been vaccinated to have patience as the state government will vaccinate them as and when the Centre sends the doses,” she said speaking at a press conference after the Global Advisory Committee’s meeting.
Stressing on the need to “accelerate the pace of vaccination by ensuring the supply of an adequate number of vaccine doses,” she reminded that cases are increasing in Sikkim, Assam and North Eastern states. “..as a precautionary measure, it is necessary that West Bengal is provided with the required 14 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines”.
The Covid positivity rate in the state that had increased from 3 per cent (in March) to 33 per cent (in April-May) due to the Assembly polls has now dipped to 1.57 per cent due to the state government’s sustained efforts, she wrote.