No Need For Court To Interfere: Govt To Supreme Court On Vaccine Policy
Mumbai: After being asked to rethink its vaccine policy, the Centre on Sunday told the Supreme Court that its vaccination policy had been framed to ensure equitable distribution, adding that the policy requires “no interference by the Honourable Court.”
The Center has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on the vaccination program in India, its production and price. The government has tried to explain why there is a lack of vaccination in the country.
Urging against judicial intervention, the centre’s Sunday night affidavit read: “Any over-zealous, though well-meaning judicial intervention, may lead to unforeseen and unintended consequences, in absence of any expert advice or administrative experience, leaving the doctors, scientists, experts and executive very little room to find innovative solutions on the go.”
According to its affidavit, the centre has given large orders unlike states and private hospitals. It also states that when it comes to states, prices are the same for everyone. The price factor will not have any effect on the final beneficiary to be given to the eligible citizen, as all the state governments have announced their policy decisions to distribute the vaccine free of cost.
Adding that the manufacturers have taken a financial risk in developing and manufacturing vaccines, and it is prudent to take a decision on pricing through negotiations and consultative provisions, keeping statutory provisions in check.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, the affidavit states that COVID-19 vaccination was approved for people between 18-44 at the request of the states. It states that the Center persuaded manufacturers to supply COVID vaccines at uniform prices.
Pune-based Serum Institute of India is supplying Covishield to the Centre for Rs 150 a dose while to states for Rs 300 a dose. Private Hospitals are getting it at double the state’s price at Rs 600.
Whereas, Covaxin manufacturer Bharat Biotech has priced its vaccine at Rs 150 a dose for the Centre, Rs 600 a dose for state governments and Rs 1,200 a dose for private hospitals.
Meanwhile, the Centre said it has so far provided 17.56 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses to states and Union Territories for inoculation of people of all eligible age groups and 46 lakh doses will be supplied to them in the next three days, stated Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur on Sunday.
The Supreme Court had last week directed the Centre to reconsider vaccine prices on grounds that it would harm the public’s right to health.
Several states and Opposition parties had been raising questions as to why there is a price disparity in vaccines across India. States have also asked why they have to pay a different price to the manufacturer from the Centre.
(With Agency Inputs)
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