Kerala Chief Minister Backs Odisha’s Suggestions On Covid Vaccine Procurement

Bhubaneswar:

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has agreed to his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik’s strategies that COVID-19 vaccines needs to be procured by the Centre from overseas and the states needs to be given the pliability to handle the inoculation process.

“…We’re in full settlement that the Centre ought to procure a preventive vaccine in opposition to COVID-19 and the administration of vaccination be left to be managed successfully by the states,” Mr Vijayan wrote to Mr Patnaik on Thursday.

“Wanting ahead to fruitful cooperation within the efforts to fulfill the unprecedented problem posed by the pandemic,” he added.

Mr Vijayan stated this whereas responding to Naveen Patnaik’s June 2 letter to all of the chief ministers the place he had sought unity amongst states on a great procurement coverage. He had additionally suggested states to shun competitors over procuring vaccines from producers.

Mr Patnaik had proposed a central procurement system and subsequent distribution amongst states for vaccination.

He had additionally stated that there needs to be a consensus relating to the procurement of vaccines and states mustn’t battle in opposition to one another.

“The one strategy to defend our individuals in opposition to future COVID-19 waves and supply them with a hope of survival is vaccination. Nations which have centered on vaccination applications have seen a outstanding enchancment of their coronavirus state of affairs. We’ve to offer this therapeutic contact to our individuals,” Mr Patnaik wrote within the letter that he shared on Twitter, tagging all of the chief ministers.

“However this can’t be a battle among the many states to compete in opposition to one another to acquire vaccines,” Mr Patnaik had acknowledged in his letter to all of the Chief Ministers.

Mr Vijayan had on Could 29 written a letter to all non-BJP chief ministers together with Mr Patnaik searching for a united effort to press the Centre to acquire vaccine and guarantee common vaccination.

“Wrote to 11 CMs within the spirit of Cooperative Federalism. Fairly unlucky that the Centre absolves itself of its responsibility to acquire vaccines, guarantee free common vaccination. United effort to collectively pursue our real demand is the necessity of the hour, in order that Centre acts instantly,” Mr Vijayan had tweeted.

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)