Punjab govt shouldn't have sold COVID vaccines to private hospitals: P Chidambaram

Responding to a question on the alleged selling of COVID vaccines by Punjab Government to private hospitals, Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said the state government should not have sold COVID vaccines to private hospitals.

New Delhi: Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said Punjab Government should not have sold COVID vaccines to private hospitals.

Responding to a question on the alleged selling of COVID vaccines by Punjab Government to private hospitals, the Congress leader said, "I agree that Punjab government should not have given vaccines to private hospitals. But what is the proportion of vaccines they gave to private hospitals in few days when that policy was in force? Maybe 1-2 per cent. They have corrected it now."

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"The underlying message is that the government has learned from its mistakes. They made two cardinal mistakes and made effort to correct those mistakes. But as usual bluff and bluster, Prime Minister blames the opposition for the mistakes he committed," said Chidambaram.

This comes amid allegations by the opposition about COVID-19 vaccines being sold to private hospitals at higher prices by the Punjab government for profit.

His remarks came after PM Modi in his televised address on Monday announced that the Centre will provide free COVID-19 vaccine to all Indian citizens above 18 years of age from June 21 and it will handle the 25 per cent vaccination that was with states till now under the liberalised plan announced earlier.

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The Prime Minister said the Centre will procure 75 per cent of the total production of the vaccine doses and provide them free to the states. No state government would be spending anything on vaccines.

ANI