Kerala facing acute vaccine shortage; will approach Centre: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said Kerala is one of the states which had implemented vaccination drive in the most effective manner but admitted that it was facing challenges in fighting the pandemic.

He also lashed out at Union Health Minister Mansuk Mandaviye, who had recently said that 10 lakh doses of vaccine, supplied to the southern state, had been left unused.

"When the minister had made such a statement, there were only five lakh doses of COVID vaccine with the state. The present circumstance is that we are facing acute shortage of the jab. That is the truth," Vijayan told the state Assembly.

Claiming that Kerala had made no lapse in the immunisation drive, he said the present situation was that the available vaccine stock was not enough to meet its demands.

The CM also said the state would approach the Centre demanding more doses of vaccine.