Synopsis
The CM made the pitch for free vaccine in his letter to the PM on November 28 and a second time last week. “In view of the post-Covid-19 economic distress of states, it is requested, that the vaccine be provided to states free of cost along with logistic costs,” Gehlot said in his letter.
Gehlot has set the ball rolling by demanding that the Centre provide free vaccine against Covid-19 to every citizen in view of the economic distress of states. The Centre must coordinate the vaccination-drive with state governments, he said. Gehlot, who in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier had demanded free vaccines to states, said the PM should make a national policy announcement on free vaccine immediately.
“Our people have been suffering for long due to this pandemic and they have also been battered economically. They can’t now afford to pay for Covid-19 vaccine. I, therefore, urge the PM to make an immediate announcement that the Centre would provide free vaccines to all citizens. The Centre must coordinate with state governments in streamlining the vaccination-drive,” Gehlot told ET on Monday.
Noting he was “disappointed” to hear Union health minister “amending his original statement” about providing free Covid-19 vaccine from “all” to “select” sections such as health workers, Gehlot added, “this is no time to play politics, dilly-dallying or, for making money from vaccines. This is time to act, quickly, in the larger cause of humanity. I hope and trust the PM will announce the free Covid-19 vaccine announcement immediately.”
The CM made the pitch for free vaccine in his letter to the PM on November 28 and a second time last week. “In view of the post-Covid-19 economic distress of states, it is requested, that the vaccine be provided to states free of cost along with logistic costs,” Gehlot said in his letter.
The letter gave details of vaccine storage capacity that Rajasthan has built and sought a steady supply of the vaccine from the source to destination through a cold-chain system provided by the Centre. “Rajasthan has the cold-chain capacity that will be able to store three crore doses of vaccines meant to be stored at 2 to 8 degree centigrade. And, one crore doze of vaccine meant to be stored between -15 to -25 degree centigrade. Keeping in mind the need for steady supply, the Centre-provided cold-chain system may provide the supply of vaccines from source to destination”. The CM also sought steps to “integrate state Covid-19 data with the Centre’s CoWIN software data” to ensure efficient vaccination-drive.
Following the official sanctioning of two vaccines, the CM said his administrative system is all geared up for the vaccination drive. “Our Cabinet has already met and discussed preparedness for the vaccination-drive. I am right now holding a meeting with the officials of the Sawai Man Singh Medical College, the biggest in Rajasthan, on conducting a vaccination drive. The state government, which has efficiently checked Covid-19, is now fully geared up for vaccination drive and I am just waiting for the PM to make the free vaccine policy announcement”, Gehlot said. The senior Congress CM’s call may influence many of his counterparts.
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