The Chhattisgarh government wasted a crucial one-and-a-half months which was strategic for Covid-19 vaccination by raising a row over the vaccine, former Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh said on Sunday.
Addressing the media, he alleged that the pace of vaccination took a back seat for health and frontline workers after the vaccine controversy arose. Thus, vital time was lost.
Singh said the need of hour is to expedite the vaccination on war footing to the Panchayat level to cut down the further spread of the pandemic as the body count is increasing.
As compared to other states in population, Chhattisgarh should be ranked first in active cases and deaths, he said.
The situation at Durg, Raipur, Rajnandgaon and other districts is "explosive", he said. In all, not a single ICU or ventilator is available in the government and private sector, he said, sharing his experience of admitting a person of Rajnandgaon who needed ventilator.
Dr Singh said the death count issued by the government and at the cremation sites differs. The death in Durg was recorded as 21 by the Health Department but in Durg-Bhilai cities alone 146 bodies were cremated.
The count from the villages has not been added, he pointed out.
The situation is grim as vaccines are not available in private hospitals. The government had not utilized the Rs 400 crores collected as Covid cess (imposed on liquor) to upgrade the hospitals and treat Covid positive patients, he said.