Bhubaneswar: More than 1.14 crore people have been administered Covid vaccines shot in the State by June 26, Odisha Health Minister Naba Das said.
“As many as 93,31,778 people have received the first dose while 20,92,866 beneficiaries were administered the final shot during the period. In the age group of 18-44, as many as 26,47,974 beneficiaries in both rural and urban areas have already received their first jab while 60,28,599 people completed their final dose, he said.
By June 26, the State had stock of 3,53,380 Covishiled and 5,13,420 Covaxin shots, the minister informed.
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“As per the central allotment, Odisha is scheduled to get 25,31,800 Covishield and 5,019,40 Covaxin doses in July. We are fully prepared to administer 3lakh beneficiaries each day on a regular basis. If the Centre ensures us adequate vaccines in time, we would be able to vaccinate a majority of our population,” the minister maintained.
The Odisha Government has demanded the Centre to revise the guidelines for providing Covid 19 vaccines to private hospitals.
Das in a letter to the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had stated that the Centre should raise the ratio from 75:25 to 95:5 in the procurement of vaccines by the private hospital from the manufacturers.
Additional Chief Secretary to Health Department PK Mohapatra has also requested his counterparts in the Health Ministry, the Minister informed.
The State apprehends to lose 25 per cent quota if the private hospitals are allowed to procure vaccines from the manufacturing units as per the existing protocols.
The Minister said that the State has comparatively less number of private hospitals in comparison to its population. The Government hospitals should be allowed to procure 95% vaccines. Similarly, revised rules should be formulated for the private health centres which should be allowed to procure 5% vaccines directly from the manufacturers directly.
As per the existing guidelines, the Centre is providing 75% vaccines to the States free of cost under National Vaccination programme after the Prime Minister announced the central vaccination policy for nationwide mass inoculation drive from June 21.