Enough is enough! Don’t infect the vaccine with politics

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India’s vaccination policy needs an immediate overhaul. It has been criticised by the highest court in the country. While the Centre takes due flak, states too need to introspect. Their performance has come into question over the vaccine wastage with charges of Rajasthan having dumped vaccines in large numbers. Now there are allegations of profiteering from differential vaccine pricing in Punjab. Vaccination is the only remedy against the virus which freely mutates to spring another fatal surprise. Centre and states need to work in tandem to depoliticise vaccine administration.

 The Congress-led Punjab government has come under fire for allegedly selling vaccine doses procured under the state quota to private hospitals at a higher rate resulting in profiteering. The government has been accused of selling 1.4 lakh vaccine doses that they got at Rs 400 a piece to private hospitals at Rs 1,000 or more. Punjab government has since withdrawn the order providing vaccine doses to private hospitals.

The Union Health ministry has alleged vaccine wastage in several states including Rajasthan. Haryana and Assam too have been accused of vaccine wastage. Denying wastage charges, Rajasthan government has now announced an independent audit of vaccine usage in the country.

Vaccine procurement from foreign producers has become another bone of contention between states and the Centre. Centre on its part has now liberalised the norms for direct imports while also agreeing to terms and conditions set by likes of Pfizer and Moderna.

Vaccinating a country of the population size of India is an unprecedented challenge. It is the all-round politicisation of the vaccine challenge that has forced the citizen to lose hope and confidence in the political establishment. Don’t infect the vaccine with politics. Enough is enough!