3000 tonnes of foreign medical aid turns mountain of controversy
3000 tonnes of foreign medical aid turns mountain of controversy
While the central government s list of beneficiaries of the foreign aid includes every state and UT, some states like Rajasthan, Punjab and Jharkhand claimed that they have no idea of what medical equipment have been sent by the Centre.
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UPDATED: May 5, 2021 17:44 IST
India has received 3,000 tonnes of foreign aid to help battle the Covid wave. (Image: MEA)
Aimed at reducing India’s Covid despair, the 3,000 tonnes of foreign aid that has landed in the country is now a mountain of controversy. At a time when almost every medical institution in the country is gasping for oxygen, medical equipment and medicines, the Centre has been stung by accusations of delay in disbursement of the aid.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said that no vaccination against Covid-19 will be held in Mumbai for the next three days as the existing stock of doses has been exhausted. Currently those above 45 years of age are being inoculated. The vaccination drive for the 18-44 age group, which was supposed to start from May 1 earlier, was likely to be deferred too. The BMC will not hold any vaccination camp on Friday, Saturday and Sunday because existing stock has been exhausted. With
Mumbai, India s Most Populous City, Closes COVID Vaccine Sites After Running Out of Shots
On 4/30/21 at 1:28 PM EDT
Mumbai s government announced that 94 vaccination centers in the city would be closed from Friday through Sunday due to non-availability of vaccine stock, according to a tweet the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) posted Thursday evening.
All efforts are being made to make more stock available & resume the drive
We urge Mumbaikars to cooperate with BMC https://t.co/sqqp1m7daE माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) April 29, 2021 All efforts are being made to make more stock available & resume the drive, BMC s tweet reads. We urge Mumbaikars to cooperate with BMC.
Many people complained that they could not receive the dose. We have been standing here for more than three hours but the queue is not moving at all. We are not sure whether we will get a dose today, said 54-year-old Smriti Bindra at the Nesco vaccination centre in Goregaon.
Senior citizens need not stand in long queues as vaccine is in short supply only for now , tweeted additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide. But be rest assured that all 45 plus years citizens will eventually get vaccinated, she added.
Several states, including Punjab, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh on Thursday said they do not have sufficient doses of vaccine for the inoculation of those in the 18-44 age group, and indicated that they may miss the May 1 launch date of the drive.
The city is witnessing long queues of those above 45 at vaccination centres while a senior official indicated that the drive for the 18-44 age group may not start on May 1.