ODISHA: PATNAIK SEEKS CENTRAL PROCUREMENT OF COVID VACCINES

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday called for central procurement and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines amid accusations that the Centre had left the states to fend for themselves in procuring them despite inadequate supplies of doses.

In a letter to his counterparts, Patnaik said after the Centre announced phase three of the vaccine policy, allowed vaccination for those above 18, and opened procurement to state governments and the private sector, there has been a great demand for vaccination. “Many states have floated global tenders for vaccine procurement,” Patnaik said. He added the global vaccine manufacturers are looking forward to the Union government for the clearances and assurances and are unwilling to get into supply contracts with the state governments. “...the domestic vaccine manufacturers are having supply constraints and are not able to commit required supplies.”

Patnaik said his government has written to the Centre about it and suggested all state governments should come to a consensus on this issue for early resolution of this problem. He added the execution of the vaccination programme has to be decentralised and states be allowed the flexibility to determine their own mechanisms to ensure universal vaccination.