Paid jabs: Madras court says Centre left 18-45 age group short-changed – Times of India

Chennai News

CHENNAI: The Centre has left the population aged between 18 and 45 years in the lurch by making them pay for the vaccine, said the Madras high court, adding, “It will be a huge burden for the poor.”
Taking suo motu note of TOI and other media reports on diversion of oxygen to other states without the consent of the state, and shortage of Remdesivir, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy hoped that efforts would be made to take care of the lowest denominations.
The judges also appealed to the Centre to consider how the less privileged, particularly those who have been rendered without basic resources or jobs in the wake of the lockdown last year, will be able to afford vaccination at such high cost. The court then adjourned the plea to April 26 for the state to come up with the total number of beds available in the state.
In response to the concerns expressed, advocate general Vijay Narayan said Tamil Nadu would never see a shortage of oxygen supply even if there were to be an unforeseen peak.
Ruling out shortage of Remdesivir or ventilators in the state, he said: “There are 30,000 vials of Remdesivir available all over the state. If there is any shortage in private hospitals, the government is ready to supply them at a reduced price of 783 per vial.”
As to the supply of oxygen, the AG said the diversion to AP and Telangana imposed no burden on TN. On the availability of ventilators, Narayan said, “Government hospitals and centres had 9,600 functioning ventilators, of which 5,887 have been earmarked for Covid patients.” This apart, private hospitals have a further 6,000 functional ventilators of which approximately 3,000 have been earmarked for Covid cases, the AG said.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/paid-jabs-madras-court-says-centre-left-18-45-age-group-short-changed/articleshow/82206994.cms