The Centre on Tuesday maintained that there was no vaccine shortage given that over 1.67 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses were still available with states and UTs and the main problem was that of better planning.
Addressing a press conference here, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said so far states and UTs have received 13,10,90,370 vaccine doses, out of which the total consumption, including wastage, has been 11,43,69,677.
"As per 11 am data, unutilised doses available with states and union territories for administration is 1,67,20,693. From now till April end, 2,01,22,960 doses are in supply pipeline to states and UTs," he said.
"This clearly shows that the problem is of lack of better planning, not of vaccine doses shortage. We have made available vaccine doses to states and UTs from time to time and as we told you earlier that to bigger states we give a supply of four days at once and on the fourth and fifth day we replenish the supply. For smaller states, at once we supply 7-8 days vaccine doses and on the seventh or eighth day their supply is replenished," he added.
Bhushan said each state government should find out at cold chain points how many unutilised doses are lying unused.If necessary, then from one cold chain point to another the doses have to be reappropriated based on the consumption patterns.
"In any state, the case might be that in one district more consumption is taking place while in another there is less consumption. Our request to state governments to ascertain where the doses can be reappropriated from," he added.
Bhushan also said Kerala has zero wastage of vaccine doses while on the other hand there are states which are registering 8-9 percent wastage. Giving details of the coronavirus situation in the country, Bhushan said the previous highest surge has already been crossed and the trend is going upward and that is a cause for worry and that is something they continuously share with the states and UTs and try to help them tackle the pandemic in a more effective manner.
Amid reports of shortage of remdesivir, he said the drug is to be given only to hospitalized, serious patients and those on oxygen support, and there is no question of its use in the home setting and it is not to be procured from chemist shops.
He also added that Ayush products can be embraced for boosting immunity.