Chidambaram for CAG-driven audit on vaccines

Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday demanded a Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG)-driven audit of vaccine manufacturing and provide within the nation to unravel the ‘mystery of missing vaccines’ earlier than public anger hits the streets.

In a separate Facebook put up, Congress basic secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that the oxygen scarcity that the nation had seen final month and earlier this month is the results of Narendra Modi authorities’s “lack of planning, incompetence and a 700 % increase in the export of oxygen in 2020”.

In tweets, Mr. Chidambaram stated, “The mystery of the “missing vaccines” is deepening day by day. The assertion of Bharat Biotech concerning the ‘lead time’ required to provide a batch of vaccines has added to the confusion. We perceive that ‘capacity’ is one factor and ‘production’ is a special factor. What we want to know is the precise amount produced to date by the 2 home producers. Once we all know the precise manufacturing to date, we ought to be instructed what has been provided date-wise and to whom?”

Welcoming bulletins made by corporates just like the Reliance Group, HCL and others to vaccinate their staff, their households and enterprise companions, he stated,“State governments are not able to get supplies from any manufacturer — domestic or foreign. So, from where do the corporates expect to get their supplies?”

“The proper thing to do is direct a CAG driven full-scope audit of capacity, production, despatch, supply and customers’ lists of the two domestic manufacturers. Better unravel the mystery of the missing vaccines now before public anger over shortage of vaccines pours into the streets,” he added.

Talking abuut oxygen scarcity, Ms. Vadra’s FB put up requested who was accountable for a state of affairs that noticed many dying “gasping for air and without access to the most basic of medical facilities”.

Priyanka on oxygen subject

She stated even on the top of the second wave, hospitals throughout the nation required 8,944 metric tonnes (MT) of oxygen a day whereas India produced 7,500 MT a day.

“Who is responsible for the lack of oxygen in hospitals across India”she requested, including, “The Modi Government increased its oxygen exports by over 700 % in the year 2020, a pandemic year. Most of this supply went to Bangladesh”.

She accused the Modi authorities of doing nothing to extend the specialised cryogenic tankers (estimated to be round 1200-1600) between the 2 COVID-19 waves, ignoring strategies of its personal Empowered Group-VI and never performing on the warnings given about by the Parliamentary Standing Committee about the necessity to improve oxygen provide.