Citizens’ need of Covid vaccines must be given priority over export: Chadha
Terming vaccine universalisation and vaccine nationalism need of the hour, AAP leader Raghav Chadha wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying there must be a strict India-first rule as citizens’ needs must be given priority over exports to other countries.
In a letter, the AAP MLA said the Centre has chosen to export over 64 million doses to 84 countries while Indian citizens are desperately looking for a vaccination centre that is still open.
“I wish to ask the government of India as to what its priority is — the people of Delhi or of Dominican Republic? The people of Maharashtra or of Mauritius? The people of Bengal or Bangladesh? Gujarat or Guyana? Odisha or Oman? Uttar Pradesh or the United Kingdom? Kerala or Kenya,” Mr Chadha asked.
He urged the government to prioritise vaccinating the entire 135 crore in India before “earning trivial international laurels.”
“I urge the government of India to adopt ‘vaccine nationalism’ and prioritise vaccinating the entire 135 crore in India before earning trivial international laurels. Do not let vaccination centres shut while doses are being flown out of the country.
“It is further alarming to read reports that the government of India will be exporting nearly 45 million doses to Pakistan in the coming days. On one hand, the government of India claims that Pakistan has only exported terrorism to India, on the other hand we are exporting lifesaving vaccines to Pakistan,” he said.
Mr Chadha said vaccine nationalism and vaccine universalisation are the need of the hour. “Vaccines should have a strict India-first rule with Indian citizens’ needs being given priority over exports to other countries. The government of India should not be exporting doses while Indian citizens are dying by the thousand with a cure within grasp but out of reach,” Mr Chadha said.