On Centre's data of 33.95% vaccine wastage, J'khand says 'old data'

Ranchi/New Delhi: Terming the vaccine wastage figure of Jharkhand by the Centre at 33.95 per cent as "old data", the Hemant Soren government on Thursday said it has received permission from the Central ministry to rectify the related data and the vaccine wastage was 1.5 per cent in the state.

The efforts made by the state government, including increasing the pace of inoculation, has resulted in wastage of vaccine to 1.5 per cent from earlier 4.5 per cent, it said.

As per the Centre's data Kerala and West Bengal recorded negative wastage of COVID-19 vaccines in May, saving 1.10 lakh and 1.61 lakh doses respectively, while Jharkhand reported maximum wastage of 33.95 per cent.

While Kerala reported -6.37 per cent vaccine wastage, West Bengal recorded -5.48 per cent.

Chhattisgarh reported 15.79 per cent vaccine wastage while Madhya Pradesh reported 7.35 per cent. States like Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra reported 7.08 per cent, 3.95 per cent, 3.91 per cent, 3.78 and 3.63 per cent and 3.59 per cent respectively.

"We have already raised the issue with the Centre during several rounds of video-conferencing. The 33.95 per cent wastage data is an old one. The Union ministry has given us permission to rectify the data on the portal.

"The permission has been received by us only today and accordingly, we will rectify it as the wastage has come to 1.5 per cent," Jharkhand nodal officer for vaccination A Dodde said. He said the process for correction was on.

As per the vaccine data from National Health Mission Jharkhand, in a short span of two weeks between May 26 and June 8 almost 6 lakh new vaccine doses were administered across the state.

The vaccine coverage in Jharkhand was 40.12 lakh doses on May 26 which increased to 46.07 lakh doses on June 8 morning, as per the state government.

"Till 26th May, net vaccine availability at the state government was 42,07,128 doses, out of this 40,12,142 doses were administered whereas on June 8th, net vaccine availability was 46,76,990, out of this 46,07,189 doses were administered to the people.

"This resulted in bringing wastage down to 1.5% per cent from earlier 4.5% per cent," the Jharkhand government had said on Wednesday.