Punjab has left only 1.9 lac COVID-19 vaccines doses: Balbir Sidhu

Punjab has left only 1.9 lac COVID-19 vaccines doses: Balbir Sidhu

Urged the Union government to regulate the supply of vaccines- demands 15 lakh doses every week

More than 30 lakh people vaccinated in the state

Nabaz-e-Punjab, Chandigarh/Bholath, April 26:
When situation turns distressing after rapidly surging COVID cases, Punjab Government is firing from all cylinders to effectively tackle the situation but the state has left only 1.9 lac doses of vaccine due to the lesser supply of the vaccine from Government of India. Out of this available stock, more than 1 lac doses expected to be used today.
While inaugurating the Guru Nanak Dev Dialysis Unit, Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that, about 1.5 lac beneficiaries got vaccinated as on 25 April and Chief Minister Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh has already raised the alarming situation of Punjab due to increasing cases of corona virus and demanded the regular supply of COVID-19 vaccine and oxygen from GoI.
Talking about the Covid vaccination drive, he said that Punjab government is organizing vaccination at all the primary health centers and health wellness centers as well as special camps in the rural areas to facilitate the people at their doorsteps where we have capacity of vaccinating more than 3 lac beneficiaries easily.
He said that more than 30,05,083 people have been vaccinated in Punjab so far under which a total of 26,82,393 vaccinated with first dose and 3,22,690 with the second dose.
He said that the Punjab Government has already appealed to the union government to regularize the supply of vaccines in the state as the trained staff and infrastructure provided by the Punjab government could vaccinate 3 lakh people daily, requiring 15 lakh doses every week. He said that the health department had written a letter to the Union Ministry of Health on April 22 demanding 10 lakh doses of vaccine.
He divulged the health department has received the intimation letter from GoI that they are sending only 1.5 lac doses of Coviesheild vaccine against our demand by tomorrow.
Regarding the preparations for vaccination for people above 18 years of age from May 1, he said that Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh had asked the department to order 30 lakh covshield vaccine doses.
Replying to a query regarding the shortage of oxygen, he said that the plants of the Punjab government were running at full capacity while the central government had reduced the liquid oxygen quota of Punjab.

Earlier, Mr Sidhu inaugurated a dialysis unit set up by Baba Zorawar Singh, Baba Fateh Singh Seva Society at Civil Hospital Bholath at a cost of about Rs. 85 lakh. He lauded the contribution made by the society and said that the need of the hour was to provide quality health care to the people. He also interacted with the patients who came for dialysis at the Hospital.
On this occasion MLA . Mr. Navtej Singh Cheema, MLA Mr. Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Deputy Commissioner Mrs. Deepti Uppal, SSP Mrs. Kanwardeep Kaur IPS , Civil Surgeon Dr. Parminder Kaur, Congress leader Amandeep Singh Gora Gill, Ranjit Singh Rana, SMO. Dr. Bholath Shalindar Singh and others were present.