No reason to hide Covid deaths: Health Minister
New Delhi: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday put up a staunch defence of the Modi government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and said vaccine production in the country is increasing and the effort is to inoculate all adults at the earliest.
Replying to a short duration discussion on the health crisis and the vaccination policy in Rajya Sabha, the minister said a package of over Rs 23,000 crore has been approved for strengthening the health infrastructure, including setting up 2.4 lakh medical beds and 20,000 ICU beds, with a special focus on paediatric care to handle any possible third wave of the pandemic.
Asked by Derek O'Brien of the TMC if the target of vaccinating all by December 21, 2021, would be achieved, he said, "Our effort is to vaccinate all at the earliest."
"The work done by the vaccine sector in India is unprecedented.... There is no need to raise a question. We will have to trust our scientists. I trust our scientists and indigenous companies," Mandaviya said.
On the allegation of under-reporting of Covid deaths, he said the central government compiles and publishes data sent by the state government.
States governments register deaths. "Our job is to publish that data and nothing else. We haven't told anyone to show fewer numbers (of deaths) or less positive cases. There's no reason for that," he said.
The minister said the prime minister had repeatedly asked chief ministers to do large numbers of testing and record deaths.
"There is no reason to hide deaths but whom are you blaming? Who does registration? States do. Who decides on statistics? States do. Government of India compiles and publishes data received from the states," Mandaviya said.
On the vaccine production, the minister said the Serum Institute has started supplying 11-12 crore doses per month and Bharat Biotech will start giving 3.5 crore doses per month from August.
He said transfer of technology to several companies has started and they will begin production in the coming days to reduce vaccine shortage in the country.
He said that India may become the first country in the world to develop a DNA-based vaccine.
"Cadila has completed third phase trial of its DNA vaccine and has applied for emergency use authorisation before DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India). Our expert team is looking into it. When this will come in the market, India will be the only country where scientists have developed a DNA vaccine," Mandaviya said.
