Supply free Covid vax to all in Telangana: Dr Sravan Dasoju

Nampally: AICC spokesperson Dr Sravan Dasoju on Tuesday appealed to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for ensuring free supply of Covid-19 vaccine to everyone in Telangana ahead of the second wave of virus infection that is crippling certain states including the neighbouring Maharashtra, the largest virus affected state in India.

While welcoming the government's decision to shut schools and colleges, the senior Congress party leader also requested him to enhance the facilities and necessary infrastructure to provide the access and availability of Covid-19 vaccines and expedite the vaccination programme through a special drive in the state with immediate effect.

Dr Sravan finds fault with the government's snail pace immunization activity in Telangana which has cumulatively given vaccines to little over 9 lakh people ever since Covid-19 vaccination process was initiated. If this is the case, he doubts when can the Telangana government complete vaccination to all the 4 crore citizens of this state.

Moreover, Telangana stands number 1 in wastage of Covid-19 vaccine in the country which is a major cause of concern. Therefore, Dr Sravan urged the CM to scrap the improper guidelines issued by the government of India that restrict vaccines for people aged above 45 years and suggested KCR to go ahead with a comprehensive approach that can ensure vaccine reaches everywhere including to Apartments, Colonies and Basties in the state. He demands for setting up Covid-19 vaccine Kiosks across Telangana including in Basti Dawakhanas.

"I humbly appeal to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to emulate Tamil Nadu model in the state to vaccinate everyone. And also I request him to massively enhance the free access and availability of Covid-19 vaccine to all before we succumb to the second wave of Coronavirus surge in the country. Vaccine must be made available at all the Kiosks, RMP/PMP doctors, Basti Dawakhanas, PHCs apart from the major public and private hospitals," Dr Sravan appealed.

According to Dr Sravan, the government of Tamil Nadu by ignoring Central guidelines seems flexible in defining the front line workers and including domestic helpers, shopkeepers, auto drivers apart from the elders and differently abled into the vaccine net, thereby ensuring more people are getting access to Covid-19 vaccine. Similarly, he requested the government to ease norms in Telangana to provide wider access to everyone who wishes to take a vaccine shot.

"Since one of the Covid-19 producers, Bharat Biotech that supplies Covaxin, is from Hyderabad, why can't the government place an indent for procuring sufficient quantities of Covid-19 vaccine doses and supply it for free to all the citizens of Telangana? Covaxin is our vaccine and it should be given to our people first. This must be the highest priority for the government as it is the prime concern considering the previous experiences'', he said.