PM Narendra Modi says Centre will supply vaccines to the states for free

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Reversing its earlier decision, the Centre has decided to take back the reins of vaccine delivery in its hands and will henceforth supply all vaccines to the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on June 7, announcing a string of mid-course reforms in the country’s vaccination strategy.

From May 1, the Centre was procuring 50% of the vaccines produced by Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech while the states were procuring 25% while the rest 25% was earmarked for the private sector hospitals.

Free to states

“From June 21, the states will be given free vaccines,” said the prime minister in his 32-minute speech.

Everyone above the age of 18 will be administered the vaccine, reiterated the prime minister.

In the Union Budget for FY22, the finance minister said the government was allocating Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination and more funds would be allocated if necessary.

Directive for private hospitals

His speech on Monday, the ninth he delivered on the subject of coronavirus, followed a growing chorus in different states for the Centre to take over the supply of vaccines.

“However, private hospitals can still buy 25% of the vaccines produced in the country,” said Modi. In a clear effort to address the profiteering tendency of many hospitals, the prime minister also said that they can take a service charge of Rs 150 on each vaccine.

States to monitor

He also said the onus of ensuring that hospitals were not charging anything more than this mark would be left to the state governments.

“All states will be communicated the doses it will be supplied,” said Modi.

The vaccination drive was conducted mainly under the aegis of the central government between January 16 and end of April.

Modi also mentioned that many states wanted that the vaccination drive be decentralised and the states get a say in the process.

Difficulty for states

“Giving importance to the views of many states, the Centre handed over 25% of the work from May 1. The states also tried to do the job in their own way and in the process also got to know the difficulty of procurement of vaccines,” remarked Modi.

In his address the prime minister praised the scientists and said, “Within a year we came up with two Made In India vaccines… We believed in our scientists.”

“Today over 23 crore vaccines have been administered,” he added.

“Three vaccines are at an advanced stage of trial. A nasal vaccine is also on trial. It would be sprayed in the nose instead of a prick by a needle,” he said.

“A vaccine task force was set up in April 2020 when the number of infected patients were a few thousands…Funds were made available to research laboratories,” said Modi.

No hesitancy

Modi also lashed out at the vaccine hesitancy in a large section of the population. He also said that those who are trying to spread rumours about the ill effects of taking vaccines are toying with the life of their fellow citizens.

The Centre has vowed to administer vaccines to all Indians by December 2021.