The Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government has reportedly had to postpone the polio national immunisation day campaign indefinitely as there is a shortage of polio vaccine. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, The Print reported, wrote to all states except Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala on January 18, informing them that the campaign, which was supposed to be conducted on 3 February, has been postponed.
“Due to unavoidable circumstances, it has been decided to postpone the programme for the time being. The rescheduled date for the said activity will be communicated in the due course,” said the letter.
The government, as per the report, is struggling with the shortage of both kinds of polio vaccines, the Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV) and the Inactivated Polio Vaccines (IPV), due to a lack of funding, lower domestic production and extended testing procedures.
Congress party member and Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel attacked the BJP government on the”acute shortage of polio vaccines and indefinite deferring of vaccination date.”
Patel wrote on Twitter, “Acute shortage of polio vaccines and indefinite deferring of vaccination date is a huge setback to India’s sustained efforts to eradicate this disease. The government’s failure to allocate substantial funds is one of the key reasons. Their focus must be on delivery rather than publicity.”
Acute shortage of polio vaccines & indefinite deferring of vaccination date is a huge setback to India’s sustained efforts to eradicate this disease
Govt’s failure to allocate substantial funds is one of the key reasons
Their focus must be on delivery rather than publicity
— Ahmed Patel Memorial (@ahmedpatel) January 24, 2019
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