Centre’s vaccine policy hollow: Mamata to PM

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hitting out at the Centre’s vaccine policy and terming it “hollow, without substance and a regrettable show” of evasion of responsibility.

“The central government has announced the much-delayed universal vaccine policy which appears to be hollow, without substance and a regrettable show of evasion of responsibility by the central government at the time of crisis,” Banerjee wrote in her letter a day after the Centre on Monday announced that everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated against Covid-19 from May 1.

She also reminded the PM that in a letter dated February 24, 2021 she requested his intervention to allow West Bengal purchase vaccines directly with state resources and give free vaccination to people of the state.

“No response was received from your end. Now when the number of cases in the second wave of COVID is spiralling like anything, the Centre has chosen to tactically indulge in empty rhetoric and shy away from its responsibility for making available vaccines to the people of the country,” Banerjee wrote.

She pointed out that the announcement made on Monday did not address major issues like ensuring quality, efficacy and stable flow of supply of required number of doses by the manufacturers.

“It is apprehended that the announced policy might lead to unscrupulous mechanisms in the market, including pricing of vaccines as it appears to be based on market prices which may put the common people under huge financial burden,” she said.