Health Minister Slams Centre Over Pandemic Prevention

Telangana Health Minister Etala Rajender today lambasted the BJP-led Centre for its "failure" to assess the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic in Telangana and its subsequent "failure" to take steps for the prevention of the same.

Hitting out at the Union ministers and state's BJP leaders for making false charges against the KCR regime about its inability to control the pandemic, he said, "There is no truth in the comments being made by the BJP leaders regarding the failure of our government to deal with the pandemic."

The minister accused the Centre of "creating panic" among the states of the nation by not supplying adequate amounts of medical oxygen and Remdesiver injections, and claimed, "It will be disgraceful for our nation if Covid-19 patients die due to oxygen shortage. We demanded that oxygen be given to us from neighbouring states but the Centre asked faraway states to send oxygen to us. The Centre needs to increase injection production, implement prices control measures, and cater to needs of the states."

"Our state needs 3.5 crore injections to vaccinate our people in 3 months. However, the Centre has not been keen to supply the same. Even the BJP-ruled states are suffering due to such negligence. I wonder why the Centre won't event respond to the surging number of cases," he fumed

Counting his tirade, Rajender alleged, "We have asked for a daily supply of 600 tonnes of oxygen. We demand that the same be supplied to us immediately. Telangana needs 270 tonnes of oxygen a day but we made ou own arrangements to secure 400 tonnes a day. I would urge the people not to panic, therefore."

He then asked the Centre to check the price disparity of vaccines.

Further, the minister allayed the people's fears about a fresh lockdown and asserted that the government currently had no plans to implement one. He also announced that 19 diagnostic centres would soon be launched to provide services to Covid-19 patients.