Covid vaccine for 18-44 group: Centre should be lone agency for procurement, says Punjab CM

Chandigarh, May 15

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the Centre as the single agency for the procurement and distribution of COVID vaccine for people in the age group of 18-44.

“Vaccination of the entire eligible population, especially in a pandemic situation, is the responsibility of the central government as any non-inclusion can undermine the rest of the collective effort,” the chief minister said in a letter to the PM.

Citing the experience of the past three weeks when various states “have been making their individual efforts to source the vaccine from domestic producers as well as from abroad”, the CM said the Centre should immediately undertake sourcing of all vaccines as a single agency for those in the age group of 18-44.

The Centre should ensure vaccine distribution across all states and union territories through clinical establishment for proper vaccination of the age group, a statement quoting Amarinder said here.

The Punjab CM said he had even earlier suggested that in view of the modalities of the supply chain management, it would be operationally and financially most expedient if the entire procurement and supply of vaccine is done through the Union government for all age groups. PTI