Modi govt vaccine policy "has been ad-hoc, unscientific and irrational right from the beginning"

John Brittas Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and Prof Ramakumar spoke to National Herald about why they have challenged Narendra Modi's new vaccine policy in Supreme Court .

"25 % vaccine reservation for private hospitals is an anti poor policy", they have pleaded.

Prof Ramakumar in an interview with National Herald asserts that the vaccine policy of Modi government has been ad-hoc, unscientific and irrational right from the beginning. Vaccines are made by public money and there is no question of citizens paying twice for a vaccine. Moreover a vaccine is not a toiletry. It's for global good. The government reserving vaccine for private sector means we are letting people sell vaccine for profit. How is that acceptable in general let alone in a pandemic ?

John Brittas says vaccine has to be free and available to everyone. The central government has been irresponsible during the pandemic, he adds. He points out that the Kumbh Mela and the elections in West Bengal were two occasions when the Union Government behaved as if there was no Covid in India.

The vaccine crisis in India is government made. Prof Ramakumar points out that Indian government unlike most governments didn't make any at risk investment in the Indian vaccine companies. No investment in research and development. No investment in capacity expansion. "We were late in booking vaccines by almost eight months. While most countries booked vaccines in June 2020. We booked vaccines in January 2021. Even Bangladesh booked vaccines two months before us", he said.