India News | Universal Immunisation Best Way to Build Social Resistance: CM

Thiruvananthapuram, June 1 (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said universal immunisation is the best way to build social resistance against COVID-19 at the national level and urged the Centre to provide vaccines against the pandemic free of cost to all states.

The state has placed an order for 70 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine and 30 lakh Covaxin doses through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation, he told the state Assembly.

"The state government is very particular to ensure free vaccine for all.

The Union Government has been strongly informed of this stand," he said while replying to a calling attention motion by Ponnani legislatorP Nandakumar on COVID inoculation.

Vijayan said Kerala had requested the Centre to take necessary steps to make the vaccines available free of cost to all in the public interest.

It had also been pointed out that if states are competing in the market for the vaccine, it would lead to a hike of its price.

Stating that Kerala had already taken steps to float a global tender to get adequate stocks of vaccine, the Chief Minister said it is the Centre which can take effective steps in this regard.

So it was also mentioned in his recent letter to the Prime Minister that it would be better for the Centre to call a global tender, Vijayan added. PTI

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)