New Delhi: Reacting to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's statement that less than three per cent of the country's 130 crore people had received both doses of COVID vaccine, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar declared on Friday that India will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of 2021.
Javadekar said that he would ensure the vaccination of 108 crore people by December, and reminded Gandhi that India is the second-fastest country in vaccinating its people with over 20 crore doses have been administered so far.
"India's vaccination will be completed before 2021. The Health Ministry has given a blueprint. 108 crore people - with 216 crore doses - will be vaccinated by December. Rahulji... if you're concerned about vaccination then pay attention to Congress ruled states... there is a mess. They are not taking the quota given to them for 18-44 year old beneficiaries from May 1," Javadekar said.
According to the reports, the Union Minister also criticised Gandhi and his party colleagues for questioning Covaxin, as it was approved in January but medical experts, civil society groups, and opposition leaders, including those from the Congress, questioned its safety and efficacy after it was passed without key trial data.
The reports said hours earlier, Gandhi said that PM Narendra Modi "did not understand COVID at all." He also said that vaccines were the only permanent solution, and India would remain at risk of "multiple" waves sans a proper strategy.
As per the sources, many of the states, such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi have floated global tenders to buy vaccines after the centre, effectively, said that it would only supply 50 per cent of required doses. States and private hospitals were told to buy the rest on their own.
The centre insisted that states do have enough doses and has accused them of wastage. On Thursday, the centre released a "myth and facts" sheet in which it criticised "some of our leaders" and said it was working hard to approve new vaccines and scale up production. The sheet pointed to talks with US pharma giant Pfizer, and the earlier approval of Russia's Sputnik V as evidence.
Meanwhile, India has reported over 1.86 lakh new cases - the lowest daily increase in 44 days. There are over 24.4 lakh active cases and over 3.18 lakh people have died.
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