Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, asking how “the Government of India can permit such brazen profiteering from people’s misery?”, a day after Serum Institute of India released its differential Covid-19 vaccine’s price list for the Centre, states and private hospital.
She also said, “abdicated its responsibility of providing free vaccines to people between 18 and 45”.
The Centre’s new policy has divided vaccine procurement into two halves: 50 per cent for the Centre, and 50 per cent for the open market. Through the second — non-Government of India — channel, state governments, private hospitals, and industries that have facilities to administer the vaccine, will be able to procure doses directly from manufacturers.
The Serum Institute has announced that the price of the vaccine will be Rs 150/- per dose for the central Government, Rs 400/- per dose for the state Government, and Rs 600/- per dose for private hospitals.
“This means that citizens will be compelled to pay these high rates to be vaccinated. This will also bleed the finances of State Governments. This begs the question, how can the same vaccine manufactured by the same company have three different prices? There is no rationale or justification that allows for such arbitrary distinction,” Ms. Gandhi noted.
“At a time when medical resources are scarce, hospital beds are unavailable, oxygen supply and availability of essential medicine is dwindling rapidly, why is your Government allowing a policy that reeks of such insensitivity,” she added.
Ms. Gandhi also demanded transparency and equity with regard to the 50% quota for vaccination available with the Central government.
Noting that any reasonable person will agree on the benefit of a uniform price for vaccination, she urged PM Modi to intervene immediately and “reverse this ill-considered decision”.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a tweet on Thursday, “Every Indian needs free vaccine, regardless of age, caste, creed, location. GoI [government of India] must fix one price for Covid vaccine irrespective of who pays — the Centre or the states.”
She also targeted the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and said, “One nation, one party, one leader shouts BJP all the time but to save lives they can’t have one price for vaccine.”
India on Thursday reported another record rise in Covid-19 cases and deaths, with over 3.14 lakh cases and 2,104 deaths reported. The country’s active cases stand at 22,91,428 and deaths stand at 1,84,657 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that lockdowns should be the “last resort” to deal with the raging pandemic.
