Centre to buy vaccines and give them to states for free from June 21: Modi

PM Modi | File Pic

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Monday. In his address, he said efforts were made at war-footing to fight the pandemic.

"During the second wave, the demand for medical oxygen in the country increased unimaginably in the months of April and May. Never in the history of India has the need for medical oxygen been felt in such quantity," Prime Minister Modi said in his address. "To meet this demand, work was done on a war footing," he added.

Further, the Centre government is considering centralising the vaccination drive from June 21, wherein the Centre will purchase vaccines and give them to states for free. Also, all above the age of 18 will be inoculated frrr of cost from June 21.

He asserted that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the country in coming days.

The Centre has decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers, including 25 per cent of the state quota, and give it for free to state governments, the prime minister said in an address to the nation.

Modi said private sector hospitals can continue to procure 25 per cent of vaccines, but their service charge would be capped at Rs 150 per dose over fixed price of the vaccine.

This comes after several states complained of vaccine shortage and demanded the Centre allot more vaccines soon.

The government's vaccination strategy has been widely criticized and has also been flagged by the Supreme Court.

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He also said anti-Covid protocol is the single-most important weapon in the fight against coronavirus before adding that seven companies are producing various vaccines against the coronavirus in the country and trial of three more vaccines is at an advanced stage.

The process of procuring vaccines from companies of other countries has also been expedited, the prime minister said.

Amid concerns expressed by experts recently over children being affected by the virus, Modi said that in this direction trials of two vaccines are being carried out.

PM Modi last addressed the nation on April 20 when he said that the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has hit India hard and urged states to use lockdown as the last resort.

"In a situation like today, we have to save the country from a lockdown. If you all work together, create awareness then there is no need for containment, never mind a lockdown. I appeal to states that they should use the lockdown as the last resort - our focus should be micro-containment zones. We will take care of economic health as well as the health of countrymen," the Prime Minister had said.

India today recorded 1.06 lakh cases, taking the country's caseload to 2.89 crore.