Key Points:
- “Delhi government has decided to provide free vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age,” CM Arvind Kejriwal announced in a virtual press conference on Monday.
- Health Department’s latest bulletin showed, 69,677 beneficiaries were vaccinated, as of April 26 in Delhi.
- CM Kejriwal also said that Vaccine makers have a lifetime to earn profits but, they should think of the poor section of the society who cannot get jabbed due to the high prices.
The Covid-19 cases in the country have drastically increased in the past few weeks and the capital of the country, Delhi, happens to be one of the largest contributors to the number of cases being recorded.
Amidst this, as India has its Vaccines and the third phase is to start from the 1st of May where all the adults i.e., above the age of 18 years are allowed to be vaccinated, the Government of Delhi took a huge decision.
On Monday, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that vaccination against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the city for everyone above the age of 18 will be “free of cost.” CM Kejriwal, while addressing an online press conference said that the Delhi government will procure 13.5 million vaccine doses for the same.
“Delhi government has decided to provide free vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age. Today we have given the approval for the purchase of 1.34 crore vaccines. We will make an effort to ensure that it is purchased soon and administered at the earliest to people,” Mr Kejriwal announced.
दुनिया के कई देशों के अनुभवों से पता चलता है कि कोरोना से छुटकारा पाने में वैक्सीन एक प्रभावी हथियार है। दिल्ली में 18 साल से ज़्यादा उम्र के सभी लोगों को आने वाले दिनों में सरकार मुफ़्त वैक्सीन लगाएगी। pic.twitter.com/5kEVddPOQ5
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 26, 2021
The CM continued saying, “We are preparing a plan to figure out how this can be done at a large scale and as quickly as possible. We have given the nod to 1.34 crore vaccines. During the pandemic, vaccines are proving to be crucial. Those who have been vaccinated are either not falling ill or are not getting very severe symptoms. Till a few weeks ago in UK, the situation was as dire as it is in India. That wave has now abated and experts think that it is because of aggressive vaccination.”
In the same conference, Kejriwal, after taking the decision pointed out saying that the ‘Vaccine makers have a lifetime to earn profits but, they should think of the poor section of the society who cannot get jabbed due to the high prices.’
“One vaccine producer said that they’ll provide vaccines to the state governments at Rs 400 per dose and the second producer said that they’ll provide at Rs 600 per dose. Both of them will keep the price at Rs 150 per dose for the central government. I hope that the prices remain the same for all,” Kejriwal said.
The decision, as perceived, may only be for the Delhi Government-run hospitals whereas the Private Hospitals will aquire charges from the individuals who want to vaccinate themselves.
Health Department’s latest bulletin showed, 69,677 beneficiaries were vaccinated, as of April 26, including 47,960 who received their first dose and 21,717 who received their second jab as well.
Delhi is currently under an extended lockdown from April 19 and will stand in place till 5am of May 3.
