Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to keep the price of Covid-19 vaccine at the minimum so that the entire country can avail it at the same rate.
Baghel mentioned that the Serum Institute has said it will supply vaccines at Rs 400 to the state governments and at Rs 600 to private hospitals. So far, the vaccine was being supplied by Serum Institute at Rs 150.
The states are expected to take action to procure the vaccine through tender or negotiation, he said.
"We have received information from newspapers that Covishield is being supplied in India at the highest rate in the world. In view of the increasing outbreak of Covid-19 in India, the vaccine rates have been increased by Serum Institute to make "extra profits".
The Indian government is expected to fix minimum possible rate of the vaccine under the provision "Price Control of Drugs" to protect the people of the country from any form of exploitation.
Since there are only two companies manufacturing vaccines in the country, there is no possibility of healthy competition or getting minimum possible rate in procurement of the vaccine through tender.
It is also certain that the procurement of vaccine following the tender rules would be a time-taking procedure.
The Chief Minister stated that the minimum rate of the vaccines should be decided by the Indian government and all the states should be able to procure vaccine as per the requirement.
In this way, the entire country would get the vaccine at the same rates.