New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for vaccinations to be opened to everyone who needs them and to place an immediate moratorium on vaccine export. The Wayanad MP said that at the current vaccination rate, it would take years to inoculate 75 per cent of the population, predicting 'catastrophic effects' on the economy and decelerating the Indian economy.
Former Congress President, in an apparent dig at PM Modi, said, "Was the export of vaccines also an 'oversight”' like many other decisions of this government, or an effort to garner publicity at the cost of our own citizens?"
In a letter dated April 8, 2020, he highlighted the issue of vaccine shortage faced by many states and questioned why the government permitted large-scale exports of vaccines.
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"There is no clear reason as to why the government permitted large-scale exports of vaccines. While our nation is facing vaccine starvation, more than 6 crore doses of vaccines have been exported. The state governments are repeatedly highlighting vaccine shortages only to receive intemperate statements by the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare targeting Opposition-ruled states, undercutting cooperative federalism which you too have stressed as essential," the letter read.
It further read, "Centralization and individualized propaganda are counter-productive. Even though Public Health is a state subject, our states have been bypassed right from vaccine procurement to registration. Additionally, a large section of the poor has been excluded due to the initial mandatory online registration."
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He added, "Our vaccination program has to move beyond an individual’s picture on the vaccine certificate, towards guaranteeing maximum vaccination."
The Congress leader said that vaccine suppliers must be provided with necessary resources to increase manufacturing capacity and there must be fast track approval of other vaccines as per norms and guidelines.
The leader said that state governments must be given a greater say in the vaccine procurement and distribution and direct income support must be provided to the vulnerable sections in the disastrous second wave.
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