Jammu Kashmir facing shortage of 12 lakh measles vaccines: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Sep 19: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister

today said while the Centre has been very helpful in dealing with

, the state is facing a shortage of nearly 12 lakh measles vaccines, which they will now purchase from the open market.

"We need to vaccinate 13 lakh children in the age group of 0-15 years so that we do not have measles epidemic. We have only received one lakh vaccines from the Centre. I have now told my department not to wait for this for Government of India and procure vaccine from the market," Omar told PTI.

He said the Centre has been helpful and "in some respects their own channels have been inundated by the floods in the scale of what is required. Therefore, supplies are not as quickly available to us as we would have liked." Omar said money has been put in the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, which was set up after the devastating floods.

"As of yesterday, about Rs 55 crore were deposited in the CM Relief fund, most of it from seven or eight states. Largest individual contribution, I am grateful to him, has been from (UP Chief Minister) Akhilesh Yadav. Other states have given Rs 5 crore etc. I have money which I am going to purchase vaccines and chlorine tablets," he said.

Against a promised 50 lakh chlorine tablets, the state had received only 10 lakh tablets so far from the Centre, Omar said, adding, "We will try, whatever is to be procured, to procure it from open market."

The Chief Minister said according to conservative estimates, the damage to equipment in the ground floors of various state hospitals which were affected by the floods is to the tune of Rs 150 crore.

PTI