Naveen Writes to All CMs Seeking Consensus On Centralised Procurement of Covid Vaccines

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday wrote a letter to chief ministers of all the states emphasizing on vaccination to save precious lives.

In his letter he stated, “The only way to protect our people against future waves and provide them with a hope of survival is vaccination. Countries which have focused on vaccination programme have seen remarkable improvement in their Covid situation. We have to provide this healing touch to our people.”

Stating that no state would be safe unless all the states adopt vaccination as the top most priority and execute it on war-footing. However, he also emphasized that no states should  compete against each other to procure vaccines.

Mentioning about the global tenders for vaccines, he expressed his concern about the global vaccine manufacturers unwillingness to get into supply contracts with the state governments. Suggesting the center to procure medicines, Patnaik said, “The best option available is for the Government of India to centrally procure the vaccines and distribute it among the states so that our citizens are vaccinated at the earliest.”

Stressing that the execution of the vaccination programme has to be decentralised, he added that states should allow flexibility to determine their own mechanisms to ensure universal vaccination. Mentioning poor internet access in hilly areas and vulnerable tribes Patnaik wrote, “Many hilly areas cannot access the internet and therefore online registration has to be flexible. Some vulnerable tribes can be given priority by the State.”

While seeking cooperation from his counterparts, Patnaik wrote, “We have written to the Union Government in this regard. However, I would respectfully suggest that all the State Governments should come to a consensus on this issue for early resolution of this problem. We should act fast before any third wave comes and creates further havoc.”