The Telangana government has criticised the Union Government for allowing a discriminatory pricing mechanism for procurement of Covid vaccines. “It is unfair to ask the States to procure the vaccine at ₹600 or ₹1,000, while it (the Centre) is buying the vaccines at ₹150 apiece. It is objectionable to ask people above 18 years to purchase vaccines,” Telangana Health Minister, Eatala Rajender, said.

Telangana announced free vaccination for all people in the State with an estimated cost of ₹2,500 crore.

Meanwhile, the State administered 2.14 lakh doses of vaccine on Monday, taking the total number of doses administered in the State so far to 42.89 lakh doses. However, the number of people who received both the doses is only 5.30 lakh, so far.

“It is the responsibility of the Centre to provide vaccine to all. It is a narrow approach to ask the States to purchase the vaccines. The Centre has wherewithal to procure the vaccine from anywhere in the world. It can even encourage the local players to supply vaccines,” Rajender said. “The Centre is abdicating its responsibility of saving the lives of the people,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, the daily Covid-19 positive cases has crossed the 10,000-mark in the State as it reported 10,122 fresh cases and 52 deaths on Monday.

The total number of active cases now stands at 69,221, putting heavy pressure on hospital beds.

600 new beds

Stating that the State has enough supplies of oxygen, he said the State is going to add 3,010 new oxygen beds in a week’s time. “We are facing a shortfall of 500-600 beds in the State now. We are adding 200 beds at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences for MLAs, doctors and other important persons. The Gandhi Hospital would get 400 more oxygen beds,” he said.

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