Only 4.90 lakh jabs procured for 1.90 crore target population

‘Centre decides allocation; CM, senior officials will decide who in the 18-44 age group will get priority’

Attempts to procure more doses are under way, Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao has said.

Telangana has nearly 1.90 crore persons in the 18-44 years age group, but the State government has managed to procure just 4.90 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses for this target population, raising questions on who among them should get priority.

Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao said that a decision on it will be taken by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and senior officials. He has added that attempts to procure more doses are under way, stressing that allocation of the vaccine shots for people is decided by Central government.

A few days ago, the State Health department initiated the second dose drive for people aged 45 years or above. Both Covishield and Covaxin were offered. However, it came to a halt from Saturday. Dr Srinivasa Rao on Sunday announced postponement of the drive due to inadequate doses of Covaxin. Fresh stock of the vaccine from Ministry of Health was awaited.

At a press conference held in Hyderabad on Tuesday, he pointed out that while 3 lakh people are waiting for Covaxin shots, they have only 50,000 doses of it. The senior official said that they don’t want to resume the drive and postpone it again unless they get sufficient stocks.

The Central government has indicated that some more doses will be sent in 15 days. Regarding Covishield, he said that no one is due for second dose of it after time interval between the first and second doses was increased from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks.

26 complaints

The State Health department has cancelled COVID-19 treatment licence issued to a private hospital in Madhapur. Three more hospitals in Hyderabad were issued show cause notices for surplus billing and injudicious usage of oxygen.

As was the case in the first wave of COVID-19, families raised complaints about exorbitant charges for the treatment at private and corporate hospitals. Some alleged that they were charged anywhere around ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh per day. A few hospitals demanded advance deposit of ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh before admitting a patient, people complained.

Dr Srinivasa Rao said that a total of 26 complaints against private hospitals were lodged through WhatsApp number 9154170960.

Stating that since it is known that some money has to be paid for treatment at private hospitals, the senior officials said that getting admitted there and lodging complaints is not good. He has requested people to opt for services at government hospitals where treatment, medicines and other services are offered free of cost.