Advocating for maintaining uniformity in the prices of COVID-19 vaccines for the Centre and State Governments, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure availability of COVID-19 vaccines to the states at the uniform prices at which is it being provided to the Central Government.

 

Amidst severe oxygen crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting on Friday with Chief Ministers of 10 states including Chhattisgarh, having most number of COVID-19 cases. The review meeting which was held virtually comes amidst a huge surge in COVID-19 positive cases, which have now clocked a daily total of over 3 lakh in the country.

 

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel along with Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi are among those who attended the meeting which was held to review the measures taken for control and prevention of COVID-19 pandemic and progress of COVID-19 inoculation drive.

 

During the meeting, Baghel urged the Prime Minister to issue guidelines to states producing Remdesivir injections and other life saving drugs to ensure their supply to other states on priority basis. He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that State Governments should get COVID-19 vaccines at similar rates as that of the Central Government so that it puts minimum financial burden on the states.

 

The Chief Minister also urged to provide a time-table of vaccine supply for inoculation drive being carried out for healthcare workers, frontline workers and people above 45 years of age, so that the state can plan accordingly for carrying out an inoculation drive for all eligible people above 18 years of age.

 

The Chief Minister said that the oxygen producing states are making surplus oxygen available to other states on priority basis, similarly the states producing Remdesivir injections and other lifesaving drugs should ensure its priority supply to other states as well. The Central Government should issue guidelines for the same. He also urged the Prime Minister that the centre should allow production and usage of industrial oxygen keeping in view the presence of large numbers of steel industries in Chhattisgarh, so that any detrimental effect on economy can be averted. Thousands of families are employed with these industries and if industrial oxygen supply is prohibited, it might cause employment problems for such families.

 

While briefing the Prime Minister about the progress of COVID-19 inoculation drive, the Chief Minister said that 18 per cent population in State has been inoculated with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. He informed that 90 per cent healthcare workers, 84 per cent frontline workers and 69 per cent people above 45 years age have been inoculated with the first dose of vaccine. In order to check import of COVID-19 infection from other states, testing campaigns have been unleashed at airports, railway stations, bus stands and at inter-state borders.

 

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel stated that facilities and arrangements are being gradually upgraded for treatment of COVID-19 patients at hospitals and COVID Care Centres. The State Government has fixed rates of treatment for COVID patients in private hospitals also. In order to ensure availability of human resources, retired doctors and para-medical staff are being recruited along with recruitment of fresh doctors.

 

A system has been developed to stop black-marketing of Remdesivir injection and ensure its availability to the needy patients. CM further informed that regular meetings are being held with medical experts, social organizations, urban and rural bodies regarding COVID-19 management and funds from DMF, CSR, MPLAD, MLALAD, etc are being used for COVID-19 prevention and control. The Chief Minister informed that eight new industrial units have been provided license for producing oxygen while 29 units are continuously generating medical oxygen. After meeting the state demands, the excess oxygen is transported to other states on priority basis. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, NITI Ayog Member Dr V K Paul from centre and Health Minister T S Singhdeo, Home Minister Tamradhawaj Sahu, Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, ACS (Health) Renu G Pillay and other officials were present during the meeting.