3 min readAhmedabadMay 1, 2024 04:33 PM IST
First published on: May 1, 2024 at 04:24 PM IST
Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil on Wednesday accused the BJP-led Centre of ignoring the World Health Organization’s emergency guidelines to maintain a database of people who have been administered Covid-19 vaccines. Gohil’s remarks came a day after global pharmaceutical manufacturer AstraZeneca admitted that its Covid-19 vaccine, developed by researchers from Oxford University, can cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a rare side effect of blood clotting and low platelet count after immunisation.
According to reports, AstraZeneca made the admission of this rare side effect in court as it faces a lawsuit alleging deaths caused by the vaccine. In 2023, the WHO stated that TTS emerged as a new adverse event following Covid-19 vaccination.
In India, the AstraZeneca vaccine was manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and around 175 crore doses of the same vaccine were administered across various phases.
Citing severe health issues leading to cases of brain stroke, heart attack, kidney and liver failure among young individuals, the Congress lashed out at the government for putting people’s lives at stake.
“Several questions are raised on how the government administered the Covishield vaccine. Despite the WHO alerting countries in 2023 regarding emergency guidelines to maintain a database of people being administered the Covid-19 vaccine, why did our country not act, whereas every country followed these guidelines?” Gohil asked in a press conference.
Gohil also questioned the government for not asking the Central Research Institute, established in 1905, to manufacture the vaccine and instead entrusting the SII and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, which came up with India’s indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin.
“When we have a pioneer institute in vaccine like the 118-year-old Central Research Institute, whose work has been lauded by other countries, why one company, Serum Institute of India, was given the contract? Rs 3,000 crore advance was given to the company by the government and Rs 1,500 crore to Bharat Biotech,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
Demanding compensation to all those who died of health complications after being vaccinated, said, “We have repeatedly raised this issue. This is criminal negligence. We believe this matter will go to court under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 304. (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). We expect suo moto action by the high court and the Supreme Court. But you know, this government will put the entire machinery if one video of Amit Shah was tampered. We have complained against several fake videos of Rahul Gandhi to the cybercrime police, but nothing has been done.”
In India, the AstraZeneca vaccine was manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and around 175 crore doses of the same vaccine were administered across various phases. (AP File Photo) 
Share
