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Rahul Gandhi asks if vaccines are free, why do private hospitals charge?

HealthRahul Gandhi asks if vaccines are free, why do private hospitals charge?

The Center recently announced free vaccines for all and then added that private hospitals will change for vaccines to the disquiet of many.

“If vaccines are free for all, why should private hospitals charge for them?” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked on Monday as the Congress party demanded universal free vaccinations to fight the pandemic after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government will provide free jabs to states for immunization of all above the age of 18.

The Congress credited the Supreme Court for the change in the Prime Minister’s vaccination policy saying the statement came after the apex court criticized the Center’s vaccine policy and sought an affidavit on the inoculation drive.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 5 pm address to the nation declared that the Center has decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers, including 25 per cent of the state quota, and give it for free to state governments, while private sector hospitals can continue to procure the remaining 25 percent.

After the Prime Minister’s evening speech, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “One simple question – If vaccines are free for all, why should private hospitals charge for them.” He used #FreeVaccineForAll hashtag with his tweet. This hashtag has been running for weeks with the Congress insisting that vaccines should be free for all.

After Rahul Gandhi’s tweet, the BJP rose up in mockery with a hashtag #Pappu ridiculing Mr. Gandhi for asking for free vaccines, but the question was very legitimate and here are some reasons:

1. Free vaccines will prompt millions to get vaccinated as soon as possible because when something is announced free, such as buy one, get one free, a certain psychology sets in the mind and people run for it.  There are many who are not yet convinced about the vaccine and offering it free would pose a wonderful deal!
2. During the pandemic even the middle class has become poor, and every little bit counts, and getting a free vaccine is a highly attractive bargain for most of the people in the country.  The pandemic deprived millions of jobs and pre-pandemic too, India hit the lowest job rates in 45 years. People struggle for basic things today.
3. There are some crowds that prefer private hospitals due to wanting to bypass long queues and prevent more exposure to the pandemic but if the private hospitals are charging more, this is putting a burden on citizens who want a free vaccine but do not want to wait hours in line.  Government hospitals take notoriously long with dozens of formalities such as getting a coupon, then getting things stamped, and then paying at another counter.  People who want a free vaccine will sadly be forced to go to a private hospital to avoid lines, burdening them
4. Unfortunately, even though the Center has said the vaccines in private hospitals should not cost more than Rs. 150, private hospitals even recently horribly hiked up oxygen and drug rates during the recent surge up to thousands of rupees. So much black marketing was going on.  Also, a family of more members will feel the strain of paying more.
5. The Center has left an open window with that very suspicious 25% for the private hospitals because once again, given the level of corruption in the country, citizens will be told there are no vaccines and lakhs perhaps will be forced to go to private hospitals and pay heavier and other millions might even not get vaccines because of some level of corruption that may arise where more vaccines go to private hospitals to make money out of the deal.  This has been happening with oxygen and drugs despite the Center stating a set price.
6. Free vaccine for all should be free for all. In Saudi Arabia, an Indian citizen recently got her completely free vaccine, and there are no 2 policies and this allows the system to run freely without corruption and this will give no space for corruption.

The BJP supporters have argued that private schools are more expensive than government schools and this is the way it runs, but here is the difference.  We are talking about private schools that have invested in their infrastructure, but here, the vaccine is developed by a company and provided to a private hospital, and the hospital has done nothing towards manufacturing the vaccine.  Once again, we are talking about vaccines and they should be provided free, and it is in most countries.

One should not try to make money out of the cruelest pandemic and as it is, prices are soaring up for fuel, commodities, and daily living is a burden, and even simple vitamin C and D have been hiked up frightfully high during this time.  People are looting citizens everywhere taking advantage of the situation, and the government should try to at least make the vaccines completely free.

If Vaccines are free for all, why are d Pvt hosps permitted to buy 25%? Why can’t d Central Gov supply it free & fix a nominal Serv charge Rs.150,pan India? Lots of unanswered questions remain,on d Modi Gov’s Vaccination policy.But,d most important of them all,is
#WhereAreVaccines

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “The prime minister is guilty of endangering the lives of Indians by repeatedly changing the (vaccination) policy, and instead of accusing the states, he should be tendering an apology for endangering people’s lives.”  (sic),

Mr. Surjewala reemphasized the demand for universal free vaccination and said the government should also transfer ₹6,000 into bank accounts of the poor to help them cope with the impact of the pandemic and the resultant lockdown.

He alleged that the government has brought these changes in its vaccination policy after it was reprimanded by the Supreme Court.

Surjewala said the Modi government has changed its vaccine policy thrice on January 16, May 1 and now today.

Accusing the prime minister of endangering the lives of Indians, he asked if he would take responsibility.

“Why burden the middle class and the salaried people with payments in private hospitals,” he asked.

“Why not transfer ₹6000 in the accounts of every poor considering there have been two crore job losses in the second wave of coronavirus,” he asked.

Surjewala claimed that at the current vaccination rate with the average between January 16 and June 7 being only 15.46 lakh jabs per day, it will take 1,091 days, or till May 2024, to inoculate all.

“Then, how will you vaccinate 100 crore people by December 2021, as promised,” he asked, alleging that only 4.61 crore have been fully vaccinated in last six months, which is 3.28 per cent of the population.

Congress has been demanding free vaccination for all and has pushed the Center to obtain the jabs and provide them to States.

The Congress on its official Twitter handle said, “Modi ji – stop with the tokenism, it will not heal the deep wounds you’ve inflicted on our nation. Instead – apologise and not give lectures”.

Congress leader and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said, “Thank PM Narendra Modi Ji for acceding to our request of central procurement and distribution of vaccine for all age-groups. I had written twice to Narendra Modi Ji on this issue and to (Health Minister) Harsh Vardhan Ji suggesting this as the only feasible solution to Covid Vaccine crisis.”

Another Congress Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, said PM Modi should inform which states had demanded that vaccines should be procured and provided for 18-44 years age group.

“To my knowledge, no state had made such a demand and it seems that the prime minister has been misinformed,” he said on Twitter.

Ashok Gehlot also said that many states, including Rajasthan, had moved the Supreme Court against the Centre’s vaccination policy, and the result of which is that the prime minister had to change it.

Thus Rahul Gandhi was perfectly right to question the Center on its two deals and rates with vaccines, and it should be one nation, one rate for the vaccine which is incidentally for the worst pandemic ever and the people need that relief.

 

 

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