Chennai, Apr 19 (IANS): DMK president M.K. Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to dispatch 20 lakh Covid vaccine doses to Tamil Nadu.

In his letter to the PM on Sunday, Stalin said that there has to be a "universal vaccination" and added that Tamil Nadu is witnessing a high rate of Covid surge and that inoculation is the only solution to put a break to the pandemic.

He said that in the last seven days the number of Covid positive cases and fatalities have almost doubled.

"Tamil Nadu needs more vaccines to flatten the curve and break the cycle of infection," the DMK chief added.

Stalin said that the PM had directed the concerned ministries to allocate Covaxin and Covishield vaccines in proportion to the population of Tamil Nadu in addition to the immediate need of 20 lakh doses of vaccine.

He added that the Centre should allow the state to procure vaccines, drugs and other medical equipment so that the latter does not wait for the clearance each and every time.