It’s not just vaccines, there was discrimination in distribution of critical medical equipment – Prithviraj Chavan

By: Prithviraj Chavan

@the_news_21

Karad: In the face of the current stand-off between the Centre and the Maharashtra Government on the availability of the Covid vaccine, information by the Centre confirms the lopsided and politically biased distribution of critical medical equipment such as Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits, N95 masks and ventilators to Maharashtra.

Maharashtra has the highest COVID-19 caseload, but we are facing step-motherly treatment from the Govt of India in the supply of vaccines, according to the State Health Minister. This is not only limited to the distribution of vaccines but as can be seen in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, in which the Govt of India has given details of the quantities of critical medical equipment supplied to each state as of 10 February 2021 (Cumulative Covid-19 case data as of 10 February 2021 – MoHFW). If we project the total quantity supplied to each State over the patient caseload, we get a shocking picture.

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As shown in the table below, Gujarat got 9,623 numbers of N95 masks per thousand Covid-19 patients as compared to Maharashtra, which got 1,560 masks per thousand patients. Even Uttar Pradesh got 3,916 N95 masks, more than twice that of Maharashtra. In PPE kits Gujarat got 4,951 kits per thousand, Uttar Pradesh got 2,446 kits while Maharashtra got just 223 kits.

In Ventilators Gujarat was given 13 ventilators per 1,000 patients, Uttar Pradesh got 7 while Maharashtra got only 2 ventilators per thousand Covid-19 patients. Kerala got even less than Maharashtra for per thousand patients. According to the Lok Sabha reply (Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2019 dated 12 February 2021.), in all the categories, Gujarat was given the lion’s share of the supply of medical equipment which is disproportionate to the caseload.

What is this, if not discrimination based on politics? The Prime Minister seems to be forgetting that he is the PM of the entire country and not just of Gujarat, UP and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states.

Medical Equipment Distributed by Government of India

Source:

1.  Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2019 dated 12 February 2021.

2.  Cumulative Covid-19 case data as of 10 February 2021 – MoHFW.  

About the Author: Prithviraj Chavan is the former Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He currently is the senior Congress legislator in the Legislative Assembly from Karad South.