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Growing Pressure forces Centre to take a U-turn on Vaccine Prices!
By: Tupaki Desk | 24 April 2021 10:38 AM GMT
The new vaccine policy announced by the Narendra Modi-led Union Government, which says that the Covid vaccine fares will be different for the Centre and States made the Centre face severe criticism and backlash.
The Opposition parties and several political leaders have breathed fire on the Union Government over two prices of the vaccines and questioned why there should be a difference in the pricing.
With the growing criticism, the Union government has changed its mind and said the Centre will procure the vaccine doses per Rs 150 and the doses procured by the Centre will be provided for free of cost to the states.
"It is clarified that Govt of India's procurement price for both #COVID19 vaccines remains Rs 150 per dose. GOI procured doses will continue to be provided TOTALLY FREE to States," the Ministry of Health clarified.
Earlier, Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Pune-based Serum Institute of India(SII) said that the vaccine dose prices were fixed at Rs 400 and Rs 150 each for the Centre and state governments respectively.
Following this, several Chief Ministers like Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel have appealed to the PM to look into the uneven vaccine prices.
"I will take up the matter with the Prime Minister and write a strong letter to him. Why should there be different prices for Centre, States and even private hospitals? Why this discrimination? This is the time to help the people and it is not the time to increase business," Mamata Banerjee said.
With the opposition parties putting pressure on Narendra Modi, the Centre took a U-turn on the vaccine prices.
The Opposition parties and several political leaders have breathed fire on the Union Government over two prices of the vaccines and questioned why there should be a difference in the pricing.
With the growing criticism, the Union government has changed its mind and said the Centre will procure the vaccine doses per Rs 150 and the doses procured by the Centre will be provided for free of cost to the states.
"It is clarified that Govt of India's procurement price for both #COVID19 vaccines remains Rs 150 per dose. GOI procured doses will continue to be provided TOTALLY FREE to States," the Ministry of Health clarified.
Earlier, Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Pune-based Serum Institute of India(SII) said that the vaccine dose prices were fixed at Rs 400 and Rs 150 each for the Centre and state governments respectively.
Following this, several Chief Ministers like Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel have appealed to the PM to look into the uneven vaccine prices.
"I will take up the matter with the Prime Minister and write a strong letter to him. Why should there be different prices for Centre, States and even private hospitals? Why this discrimination? This is the time to help the people and it is not the time to increase business," Mamata Banerjee said.
With the opposition parties putting pressure on Narendra Modi, the Centre took a U-turn on the vaccine prices.
