'Only got 57L doses so far, need 2.9 cr; July supply capped at 15L'

New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused the Centre on Monday of pressuring officials in Delhi to publish advertisements in newspapers, thanking it for providing free Covid vaccines for all from June 21, despite the city getting just 57 lakh of the 2.94 crore vaccine doses it needs.

He also said the Centre has capped the supply of Covid vaccines for July at only 15 lakh doses and at this rate, it will take around 16 more months to inoculate the entire population of the city.

Sisodia said several BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Karnataka have published advertisements in newspapers, thanking the Centre for providing free Covid vaccines for all aged above 18 years from June 21.

Had the Centre spent this money on procuring vaccines, the Covid crisis in the country could have been managed in a better way, he said.

"They also asked officials in Delhi to publish advertisements in newspapers thanking (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi for the free vaccination. They sent this toolkit to Delhi government officials and pressured them to issue such advertisements," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader told a virtual press conference.

"People do not need advertisements but vaccines. I request the prime minister to supply 2.3 crore more doses in the next two months. I promise that we will do your publicity...publish advertisements in entire Delhi, but you have been asking states to do so without giving them vaccines," he alleged.

On June 7, the prime minister announced that all citizens aged 18 years and above will be vaccinated against COVID-19 for free from June 21, with the Centre distributing the vaccine doses to the states.

"I got to know that not a single free vaccine has been supplied to Delhi for use beyond June 21," Sisodia said.

The Centre will supply only 15 lakh Covid vaccine doses in July and at this rate, it will take 15-16 more months to vaccinate the entire population of Delhi, he said.

"You have been saying that India has been conducting the largest vaccination drive globally, but it has turned out to be the most mismanaged, derailed and messed up exercise in the world," the deputy chief minister alleged.

In the 18-44 age group, around 92 lakh people are eligible for vaccination against COVID-19 in Delhi. The city has 57 lakh people aged above 45.

"Delhi needs 2.94 crore doses to fully vaccinate this population. It has got 57 lakh so far. We need 2.3 crore more doses," Sisodia said.

For those aged above 45, the Centre provided 7.13 lakh free vaccine doses in January, 7.39 lakh in February, 7.22 lakh in March, 18.7 lakh in April, 9.56 lakh in May and 8.21 lakh in June, he added.

Till Saturday, 65,14,825 Covid vaccine doses were administered in Delhi and 15,76,775 people fully vaccinated, according to government data.

Moreover, AAP leader Atishi, who usually issues the vaccine bulletin every day, on Monday joined Sisodia in asking the Centre to sort out the "vaccination policy mess" and asserting that the Capital would be unable to ramp up vaccinations unless the stocks are supplied by the Central government.