Thiruvananthapuram : Following steep hike in Covid vaccine prices by the Centre, a social media challenge has been set up for people to contribute vaccine costs into the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund(CMDRF). The campaign is aimed to symbolise Kerala’s protest against Centre’s policy on vaccine Although, Centre refuses to provide free vaccines to states, Kerala will administer the shots free-of-cost to its people, CM had clarified Wednesday.
The new campaign allows people to donate costs of the vaccine they might have received to CMDRF. 2 doses of vaccine in Kerala costs Rs 800 as of now. The money received in the campaign would help state govt reach the vaccine to all people. Meanwhile, the challenge is finding growing support with Rs 9.48 lakh deposited into CMDRF up to 1 pm just today.
While centre procures Covishield at Rs 150 per dose, the state pays a neat Rs 400 per vaccine and private hospitals Rs 600. With competition tightening, the prices are set to rise further and CM’s assurance on free covid vaccine to all comes amid such distressful scenario.
Following the announcement, CM opened the e social media challenge calling for vaccine money donations into CMDRF. CM made the early donation himself paying vaccine cost for himself and family into the fund. Actress Anupama Mohan in her post on FB said, there should arise no difficulty in rendering free vaccines to the needy. Hence one must wholeheartedly contribute vaccine cost incurred on oneself and family to CMDRF.
Several joining the campaign commented that the centre is shirking responsibility of distributing vaccine to states and is looking to profit private companies and hospitals instead.
Context: As the more devastating second wave continues unabated, the centre in a recent announcement asked all states to make their buys directly from the companies, who set the price at Rs 400 per vaccine
