Covaxin Centres In Delhi Closed As Bharat Biotech Refused To Supply Vaccines On Centre’s Directive: AAP

New Delhi: Launching yet another vitriolic attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday alleged Bharat Biotech has refused to supply the required doses of its Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin to Delhi on the Centre’s directives.

“We had demanded 1.34 crore doses, 67 lakhs each of Covaxin and Covishield. Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) wrote to us yesterday that they can’t provide. They wrote ‘we are making dispatches as per directives of concerned government officials’. Obvious these are Central Government officials,” he said.

Sisodia said Delhi’s reserve stocks of vaccine is exhausted.

“The centres administering Covishield vaccines are functioning but we have had to close the centres administering Covaxin. So, we have had to close down more than 100 centres across 17 schools,” he added.

Sisodia further said the Central Government should all exports of vaccines.

READ: Bharat Biotech Gets Approval To Start Next Phase Of Clinical Trials Of ‘Covaxin’ On Children Aged 2-18 Years

“The Centre should act as the government of a country. They should carry out their responsibility and stop all exports,” he said.

Sisodia had earlier on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre and asked what the Government of India’s role is if all state governments should go to international markets to buy vaccines.

“The BJP says that Delhi Government should have floated an international tender to buy vaccines from the international market. Does this mean that all state governments should go to international markets to buy vaccines? Then, what is the role of Government of India?” he told a press conference.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also on Tuesday raised concerns over lack of enough Covid-19 vaccine stock and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking sharing of vaccine formula with other manufacturers as well so that the capacity can be scaled up.