Telangana State's free vaccine jab likely to hit shortage roadblock

Hyderabad: Free corona vaccination to all above 18 years announced by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is likely to hit a roadblock in Telangana as the government is grappling with severe shortage of vaccines.

Thanks to the Union government's mandated order to the vaccine production companies to supply only 25 per cent of the total manufactured vaccines to the States, the TS government was forced to take up the vaccination of targeted groups only with the available limited vaccine stocks.

While the private hospitals already intensified vaccination by collecting hefty fee from citizens, the TS government has been struggling hard to administer second dose to more than 35 lakh citizens above 45 years who have already taken the first jab.

The officials of state Health Department told The Hans India that the available vaccine stocks would meet only the demand for the inoculation of high risk groups such as auto and cab drivers, street vendors etc.

Though the government launched vaccination for all with the high hopes of completing the task by September or October this year, the officials said that it would take at least one year till June 2022, to cover 4 crore population if the issue of shortage of vaccines is not addressed.

"The Union government was procuring 50 per cent of total vaccine production and distributing to the States based on its own priority. The Telangana has been given a raw deal," a senior official said, informing that so far only 66.50 lakh doses were given to Telangana. The demand for vaccines is double in Telangana to cover the targeted groups mainly frontline workers, high risk groups and healthcare workers.

Officials said that it requires one crore vaccine doses to cover all targeted groups. Another 3 crore doses are required to complete the vaccination for all above 18 years. The private hospitals have been permitted to buy 25 per cent of the vaccine produced, which they have been administering by collecting more than Rs 1,000 per dose in the State.

"A four-member family will have to shell out Rs 10,000 to get the two doses of vaccine and it is huge burden for lower middle class families in the crisis time," the officials said, adding that unless the Centre increases vaccine quota, the States would not move fast in the corona vaccination programme.