Inoculation of frontline and healthcare workers in Delhi below national average: Govt

New Delhi, May 15: The inoculation of frontline and healthcare workers against coronavirus in Delhi is less than the national average, Member (Health) of the Niti Aayog V K Paul said on Saturday.

Responding to a question in a media briefing, Paul said the overall coverage of single-dose for healthcare workers is 89 per cent.

"(The figure in) Rajasthan is 95 per cent, Madhya Pradesh is 96 per cent, Chhattisgarh is 99 per cent and Delhi is 78 per cent. It is 10-11 per cent below the (national) average. It should be improved. It (Delhi) is a limited area, limited population and (it is) well-connected. We appeal that states work to raise it," he said.

Similarly, the overall coverage for frontline workers is 82 per cent.

In Gujarat, the inoculation of frontline workers with a single dose is 93 per cent, Rajasthan is 91 per cent, MP is 90 per cent which is well above the average.

"Delhi is about 80 per cent, just below average. Every state should try to ensure 100 per cent coverage," Paul said.

The Delhi government has been critical of the Centre's vaccination policy. It has also been complaining that the Centre has not been giving it enough vaccines for inoculation.

Last month, the Centre, in a letter to the Principal Secretary (Health) of Delhi, pointed out that there have been serious lapses in registration of beneficiaries by the VIMHANS (Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health, Neuro & Allied Sciences) located at Nehru Nagar area in the Northeast district of Delhi.

VIMHANS has been found to register beneficiaries below the age of 45 years as healthcare workers and frontline workers, and vaccinate them, the ministry said.