Taking the mammoth task of inoculating the entire population in own hands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced a universal vaccination programme, saying the Central government will now provide free Covid-19 vaccines to all Indians above the age of 18.
PM Modi said that this decision has been taken as many states came forward with a demand for reconsideration of the vaccination strategy and for bringing back the system that was in place before 1 May, when the vaccination drive was completely centralised.
“The Centre is taking back total control of vaccination now. It will take over the 25% doses assigned to states and this will be implemented in the next two weeks. From 21 June (International Day of Yoga), the Centre will provide free vaccines to states,” PM Modi announced in an address to the nation. “Whether it is the poor, the lower middle class, the middle class, or the upper middle class, under the Central government programme, everyone will get free vaccines,” he added.
The Centre will buy 75 per cent of the vaccines produced by companies, including 25 per cent assigned to states. Private hospitals will continue to buy the remaining 25 per cent and inoculate those willing to pay for their jabs. They can’t, however, charge more than Rs 150 as service charge per dose over the fixed price of the vaccine, the PM said. Taking note of exorbitant charges being levied on Covid vaccines by private hospitals, he said that state governments will monitor that only Rs 150 service charge is levied over the decided price of the vaccines.
PM Modi also took a potshot at the Opposition when he said that the vaccine drive was decentralised because states had complained about disparities. “Many states demanded vaccinations to be decentralised. Some voices even questioned prioritising certain age groups, including the elderly,” he said.
The Prime Minister also reminded the citizens that India’s fight against Covid-19 was on. “Against an unseen, shape-shifting enemy, our biggest weapon is maintaining Covid protocol like masks and distancing. Vaccines are our shield,” he said.
Recalling how earlier India would take decades to get vaccines from abroad, PM Modi also lauded the achievements of Indian doctors and scientists. “If we did not have a made-in-India vaccine, can you imagine what would have happened in a country like India?”
On the unprecedented rise in the demand for the medical oxygen during the second wave in April and May, the Prime Minister said that the challenge was met at the war footing, deploying all the systems of the government. In the history of India, this level of demand for medical oxygen was never experienced, he said.
The Prime Minister said that due to great effort and hard work, the supply of vaccines was going to increase in the coming days. He conveyed that currently seven companies are producing different types of vaccines. Trials of three more vaccines are in the advanced stage, informed the Prime Minister. PM Modi also talked of trials for two vaccines for children and a ‘nasal vaccine’.