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A Division Bench of Justices Meenakshi Madan Rai and Bhaskar Raj Pradhan observed, “The vaccination programme is a cause of concern for the State. Although the population of the entire State stands at a meagre number of approximately 7 lakhs, we are informed that presently vaccines are not available for the 18-44 age group whose population reportedly stands at 2,90,000 only. The total requirement of vaccines for this age group stands at 5,80,000 only. Evidently, the State-Respondents expect 15,230 vaccines to be made available by this month to the STNM Hospital, while Learned Counsel T. R. Barfungpa, who is appearing for Respondent No.7 in WP(PIL) No.08 of 2020, submits that 24,000 vaccines are expected in the CRH by next week.”
The court observed that Considering the entire population of the State, a meagre amount of 14 lakhs vaccines would be the approximate requirement of the State. Thus, we trust that the State-Respondents shall make untiring and proactive efforts to obtain the entire number of requisite doses so that the population of the State can be vaccinated at the earliest. This becomes imperative in view of the peculiar circumstances of the State inasmuch as the foot-fall of tourists sometimes outnumbers the residents of a particular town and the availability of the medical infrastructure or the lack of it has to be thereby taken into consideration making the vaccination of the population an urgent requirement. This becomes even more imperative looking at the present Covid-19 situation in Sikkim and the mortality rate of patients vis-à-vis the population.
The court added the State-Respondents required to actively impress upon the Respondents No.1, 2 and 12 about the total population of the State and the miniscule vaccine requirement thereof.
The court said,” As reported by the State-Respondents adequate measures have been taken to contain the Covid-19 positive monks in the Monasteries in Sikkim and testing has also been ramped up”.
The court stated,” We deem it relevant to record that VRDL facility is required in each District of Sikkim, besides, bearing in mind the onset of the monsoon and the related consequence of landslides and inaccessibility of one District from the other, a sample collected from the West District for testing cannot be left to the vagaries of nature should there be road blocks to the South District. Similarly, such dependency should not be created for the North District on the East District for the self-same reasons”.
The court has the matter to be listed on June 16. Second wave of COVID-19 has hit Sikkim hard.
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