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Modi should resign for Covid surge: Mamata Benerjee

She flags 3 issues to PM, seeks ‘intervention’ on jab shortage

Published : Monday, 19 April, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 359

KOLKATA, Apr 18: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation for mishandling of the COVID-19 second wave and alleged that the Prime Minister failed in planning to contain the rise in the number of infections.
Asserting that Modi did little to address the possible crisis in the supply of medical oxygen and vaccines in the five-six months when the virus had lost its sting before its resurgence this year, Mamata accused  Modi of exporting vaccines to other countries to boost his image in the international arena while there was a scarcity in his own nation.
"For the rise in COVID-19 cases PM Modi has to resign. He is the man responsible for the present situation. He did not make any administrative planning for 2021. And look at the situation in Gujarat. "The BJP cannot tackle the COVID-19 spike even in Gujarat, and has brought the entire country, including West Bengal, to such a pass," the TMC supremo said.
Highlighting that the supply of COVID vaccines to West Bengal from the Government of India has been "scare and erratic", Mamata on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging that the State needs to vaccinate 2.7 crore people and urgently needs 5.4 crore doses of vaccines.
"We request your urgent intervention to ensure that the State gets its requirement of vaccine doses fulfilled at the earliest," Mamata said in her letter.
Mamata highlighted three issues, in her letter, -- vaccination, supply of essential medicines such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab and the supply of oxygen in West Bengal. She requested the Centre's intervention in these areas. "As such, in the present situation, we have to significantly scale up our capacities to tackle the pandemic on war footing," she added.
At the beginning, Mamata told Modi that another letter was addressed to him on February 24 where she asked him to allow West Bengal to purchase vaccine doses directly from state funds and launch a free vaccination campaign to cover the state's entire population. "However, the state has not received the requisite clearance yet."
In the letter, Banerjee said that the density of population in West Bengal and more particularly in the capital city of Kolkata is extremely high, and a focussed and aggressive vaccination against the Covid-19 disease is very important. However, the supply of vaccine doses from the Centre has been 'scarce and erratic' which has negatively affected the state's vaccination programmes, she said, adding that the vaccination programme is suffering due to uncertainties of supply from the Centre.
Banerjee said the supply of Remdesivir and Tocilizumab is extremely scarce in West Bengal and the state needs 6,000 vials of Remdesivir and 1,000 vials of Tocilizumab on a daily basis. Currently, only 1,000 vials of Remdesivir is available in the state per day and there is no fresh supply of Tocilizumab, Banerjee added and urged the Prime Minister to see that all relevant authorities ensure the ramp up their efforts and ensure the steady supply of these medicines as soon as possible.
The final point which the Bengal CM wrote in her letter to PM Modi was of oxygen supply for the infected patients. Amid the massive spike in cases and deaths in India, several states have reported a severe shortage of oxygen and have requested the Centre to address the issue.
Banerjee aid the supply of oxygen in West Bengal must be assured and certain. "The Steel Authority of India Limiter (SAIL) is meeting up our need for the moment and we shall be grateful if you kindly instruct them too for ensuring steady supplies," she added.
West Bengal on Saturday reported the highest single-day spike of 7,713 new Covid cases, taking the caseload to 651,508, according to the state health department's bulletin. More than 10,500 people have succumbed to the disease so far with 24 fresh deaths on Saturday. Kolkata, the worst hit region in the state, saw a record day jump of 1,998 new cases and 10 deaths on Saturday.
The recent surge and deaths in West Bengal can be attributed to the political rallies and road shows being held as a part of the eight-phase state assembly elections where social distancing, wearing of face masks and other Covid protocols are not followed.
CM Banerjee also said in her letter that sharp rise in the cases in West Bengal is primarily due to the large number of outsiders coming into the state for poll campaigning and other purposes "at the behest of some political parties".
HINDU










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