Bhubaneswar, Mar 26 (PTI) The Odisha government on Friday expressed displeasure over "insufficient and erratic" supply of COVID-19 vaccines to the state.

In a letter to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a top official said there should not be any discrimination between states in vaccine supply.

"At present, we are unable to plan vaccination sessions for even 15 days in advance, due to insufficient and erratic supply to our state," said Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, P K Mohapatra.

Mohapatra said Odisha has already administered more than 20 lakh doses to healthcare workers, frontline workers and age-appropriate group of citizens.

From April 1, all citizens aged 45 years and above will be inoculated, and the state has estimated the number to be nearly one crore, he said.

He also said keeping in view the heat wave conditions in Odisha, the state government is planning to accelerate the vaccination drive.

"You are requested to supply at least 15 days' vaccine requirement in advance to our state for uninterrupted inoculation drive," Mohapatra said in the letter.

The state had set a target to administer jabs to 2 lakh people per day.

On Friday, 72,739 beneficiaries received vaccine shots, sources said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)