Procure stockpiled vaccines from overseas, KTR tells Centre

The Centre ought to “wake up” at the very least now and the Prime Minister or the federal government ought to speak to the nations the place Covishield (AstraZeneca) vaccines are “lying unused” and import them for quickening the tempo of the vaccination drive within the nation since it’s the solely answer to regulate the pandemic, mentioned Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Friday.

Mincing no phrases, the Minister blasted the Centre for “ill-planned and ill-conceived” vaccination drive of not importing vaccines when required however resorting to exporting them. Later, the Centre introduced opening up of vaccination for 18-44 age group “without any thought” concerning the provide constraints at a time when 263 crore doses have been required for the programme.

Mr. Rama Rao was talking after inaugurating the 150-bed Intensive Care Unit mission at Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) at Gachibowli. It was sponsored by HYSEA (Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association) member corporations — Microsoft, Qualcomm, Franklin Templeton, Cognizant and WellsFargo.

“Hyderabad is the vaccine capital for the world but it is because of thoughtless policies of the Centre that the vaccination phase is slow when it should have been completed by now. My information is that there are at least 50 crore vaccine doses stockpiled in US and Europe, and those can be procured for vaccinating our people,” he mentioned.

Telangana authorities, then again, has recognised susceptible sections and has begun vaccinating high-risk class folks like taxi drivers, auto drivers and supply boys who might be potential super-spreaders. “Our ongoing third household fever survey and distribution of medical kits too is yielding results and hence our caseload is low when compared to the neighbouring States,” he claimed.

While the pandemic has uncovered the gaping inadequacies within the healthcare methods and the federal government can be working in direction of strengthening the medical infrastructure, the IT Industry has been serving to with ₹80 crore value of help final 12 months and now nearly ₹15 crore, he famous and expressed his gratitude.

HYSEA in affiliation with its NGO associate ‘NIRMAAN’ has been offering dwelling isolation kits, livelihood re-starter kits, ration and hygiene kits to the needy. About 75 present ICU beds in TIMS and 20 in Fever Hospital have been upgraded and one other 75 new ICU beds can be prepared in TIMS by mid-July.

Ventilators, oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, beds, masks, circulation meters and different very important tools have been additionally offered to those and in addition to Area Hospital at Kondapur, Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and King Koti Hospital. More than 35 company companions contributed about ₹14.5 crore to the mission whereas an oxygen plant sponsored by Qualcomm is being arrange in Nizamabad at a price of ₹2.5 crore, mentioned president Bharani K. Aroll.

Another 10-bed ICUs in 28 hospitals in districts of Kamareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Medchal-Ghatkesar, Mulugu, Rangareddy-Vanasthalipuram, Mahbubnagar and Jadcherla.

IT & Industries secretary Jayesh Ranjan, Cyberabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar, Rangareddy collector Amoy Kumar, Director of Medical Education K. Ramesh Reddy and TIMS director Vimala Thomas have been current.