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“Give vaccines to Indians first, stop vaccine exports”- Rahul Gandhi in letter to PM Modi

Writing about the current vaccine situation in the country and the government’s ill approach towards it, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. He urged him to allow vaccinations to “everyone who needs it”, while also calling for an immediate stop on vaccine export as the Indian citizens need it the most right now.  

 

Predicting “catastrophic effects” on the nation’s economy in case the vaccination drive goes on in this speed, Mr Gandhi also urged the Centre to fast-track the other covid-19 vaccine candidates.  

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Taking a dig at PM Modi’s photos showing the distribution of certificates to people who get the vaccine administered, the Congress leader wrote“Our vaccination programme has to move beyond an individual’s picture on the vaccine certificate, towards guaranteeing maximum vaccination.” He, however, did not name anyone.  

Due to the “Centre’s poor implementation and oversight”, the tireless efforts of scientists and vaccine producers has been sidelined, he added.  

Though India had a bigger advantage initially in the inoculation journey, “we are moving at snail’s pace” as the country managed to vaccinate less than 1 per cent of the total population in 3 months, Mr Gandhi’s letter read.  

“At our current vaccination rate, it will take years to inoculate 75 per cent of the population. This will have catastrophic effects and will gravely decelerate India’s economy,” he warned. 

He went on to question the Centre’s act of gifting and exporting vaccines to other countries at a time when India needs it the most, given the alarming rise in the number of covid cases.  

“There is no clear reason as to why the government permitted large scale exports of vaccines. While our nation is facing vaccine starvation, more than six crore doses of vaccine have been exported,” he said. 

“The state governments are repeatedly highlighting vaccine shortages only to receive intemperate statements by the Union Health Minister targeting opposition-ruled states, undercutting cooperative federalism, which you too have stressed as essential.” 

Are the vaccine shipments to nations an “oversight” to achieve publicity? Mr Gandhi wondered in his letter saying that this publicity is costing the lives of Indians.  

He also spoke about the recent serious issues between some states and the central government over vaccine procurement. From its procurement to registration, Mr Gandhi said that states have been “bypassed”. He urged the PM to allow a bigger role to states in receiving and administering covid vaccines.  

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In what seemed to be an address of the state-centre problem, last evening, PM Modi advised to avoid the “competition”. “There was a sort of competition between states when the number of coronavirus cases started rising,” he said while adding, “This state is completely useless, its numbers are so high. That state is doing so well. Comparing various states became a fashion.”