Form of words:
New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the Lok Sabha on Friday that by relying on scientists and easing approval processes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured that India develops new vaccines, and that Indians start getting vaccinations within a year. has gone.
Mandaviya was speaking as part of a discussion on the Covid pandemic. The issue was discussed in the Lok Sabha for nearly 12 hours on Thursday.
“I am proud of our vaccine industry which supplies 70 per cent of the global requirement of vaccines, but you have to understand that this research was done in our (Modi government’s) time. ZyCoV-D and Covaxin are fully developed in India and Covisshield is being manufactured in India through technology transfer,” Mandaviya said.
“Earlier, that research required only three years’ permission. We relaxed those procedures. It was Modi ji who told the scientists that I trust you, you work hard and I will support you.
He also said that while India had the means, “it was Modiji who challenged those resources and ensured that the country could fight the pandemic”. Mandaviya said that this is the first time that the government has given money to scientific organizations to develop a vaccine.
He too informed the house Regarding two cases of Omicron type of SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in Karnataka and measures for contact tracing and isolation.
Read also: During second Covid wave 70% of Indians charged for ambulance, over 36% for oxygen, finds survey
‘People provoked, insult to the poor’
Mandaviya said that without wasting time blaming others for keeping the country’s health infrastructure weak, the Modi government started taking quick action to strengthen it. He accused the opposition parties of indulging in politics when the country was passing through difficult times.
He said, ‘The country will not forget his politics in those difficult times. People were agitated during the first lockdown, the opposition insulted the poor by criticizing the biggest food program after independence. He insulted the same people whom he kept poor by his policies.”
“He questioned the Indian scientists and the vaccines developed by them so that people started getting scared. They tried to scare people by saying that this is BJP’s vaccine and this is Modi’s vaccine.”
He said that as the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, he had tried his best to provide essential medicines during the second Covid wave in April-May this year.
‘Vaccinate your constituency’
Replying to a question by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi whether the entire adult population of the country will be double vaccinated by the end of the year, as claimed by former health minister Harsh Vardhan on the floor of the House, Mandaviya replied, “You Why not ensure 100% vaccination in your own constituency by the end of the year? By doing this the country will also be vaccinated. If all of you public representatives take the responsibility of vaccination in your constituencies, then our goal will be achieved…”
“With the resolve of PM Modi and the dedication of health workers, India is running the world’s largest vaccination programme. Of the 94 crore eligible adults, 79 crore have received the first dose and 46.38 crore have been fully vaccinated,” the minister continued.
He said that at present 22 crore unused vaccine doses are lying with the states.
Mandaviya said of the 75,000 additional ventilators needed in 2020 over the already existing 16,000, 42,000 have been installed. Of the 1,225 PSA (pressure swing adsorption) oxygen plants, 70 percent are running.
“You are targeting it just because the ventilators were procured from the PM CARES (Fund),” he told the opposition when asked about the number of ventilators procured from the fund.
‘The Minister of State from the opposition party thanked me’
Mandaviya infuriated the opposition benches when he claimed that during his interaction with the health minister of the opposition-ruled state, the minister had praised him for his accessibility and promptness to respond.
“As we started talking often, we developed a level of comfort and he told me with confidence that even when ‘we had our government at the Centre’ the response was not so quick,” the minister said.
As opposition MPs demanded that he name the state, he smiled and said: “You cannot name a person who is not a member of the House. Plus, if I name that person, they’ll pull it up.
(Edited by Saikat Niyogi)
Read also: India likely to have 4.9 million ‘more deaths’ during pandemic, claims US study
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