Covaxin Maker Refuses To Supply Vaccines To Delhi Due To 'Govt's Instruction', AAP Says Forced To Shut 125 Centres
Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech has refused to supply doses to Delhi "under instructions" from the central government, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged today, accusing the Centre of controlling the supply of Covid shots and of "vaccine mismanagement". The company said it was "disheartening" that some states were complaining about its intentions.
"Under instructions of the concerned govt official"
Bharat Biotech has said it will not be able to supply vaccines to the capital citing directives of the government and limited availability, Sisodia said at a digital press meet."The Covaxin manufacturer has, in a letter, said it cannot provide Delhi government vaccines due to unavailability, under instructions of the concerned government official. It means that the central government is controlling the supply of the vaccine," he said.
"We had demanded 1.34 crore doses, 67 lakhs each of Covaxin & Covishield. Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) wrote to us yesterday that they can't provide. They wrote 'we're making dispatches as per directives of concerned govt officials," said Sisodia.?
He also shared on Twitter the letter from Bharat Biotech chairman and co-founder Krishna Ella responding to the Delhi government's request on May 7.
"Some states complaining about our intentions"
"There has been an unprecedented demand for our vaccine and in spite of increasing production every month, we are unable to keep up with the demand. Further, we are making dispatches as per the directives of the concerned government officials. We therefore sincerely regret that we cannot make any additional supplies as required by you," says the letter from Dr Ella.?
Bharat Biotech's Ella, in a tweet, said, "Covaxin dispatched 10/5/21.18 states have been covered though in smaller shipments. Quite disheartening to the teams to hear some states complaining about our intentions. 50 of our employees are off work due to Covid, yet we continue to work under pandemic lockdowns 24x7 for you."?
125 COVID vaccine centres forced to shut
With no additional supplies of Covaxin expected, Delhi has now been forced to shutdown 125 Covaxin vaccination sites in 17 schools due to no supply, Sisodia said.
The Delhi government will float a global tender for procuring coronavirus vaccines, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced Tuesday, while accusing the BJP-ruled Centre of "forcing" state governments to compete among themselves in the international market for anti-Covid shots.
"Stopping exports, procuring vaccines should be the centre's responsibility and vaccinating people at the earliest should be the state's responsibility," Sisodia said.?
