India's healthcare infrastructure is reeling under the pressure of the rapidly rising coronavirus cases. The Centre on April 19 had announced a ''liberalised'' policy, making all above 18 years of age eligible to get vaccinated from May 1. It has also allowed state governments and private hospitals to purchase vaccines from manufacturers. As per the central government, manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines will be free to supply 50 per cent doses to state governments and in the open market, for which they will have to make an advance declaration of the price before May 1.
Several states in the country have announced free corona vaccine for it's citizens including Delhi and Maharashtra. Maharashtra government will vaccinate all its citizens free of cost against coronavirus, state Minister Nawab Malik said. Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut has reacted after Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray deleted a tweet in this regard.
The decision to provide free corona vaccine to the people of Maharashtra was taken by NCP leader and Minorities Minister Nawab Malik on Sunday. After this, Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray also tweeted about free corona vaccination. However, he later deleted the tweet. This was said to have created confusion. Sanjay Raut commented on this while talking to reporters.
This is a matter of the government. Can't say anything about it. The decision in this regard will be taken by the state government. Aditya Thackeray is a member of the cabinet. Decisions in the interest of the people are taken without any politics. This government is taking every step to save lives. Maharashtra does not have a tradition of doing politics in times of crisis, said Sanjay Raut.
"The government of Maharashtra has decided to vaccinate its citizens free of cost. This is not something that we think of as a choice, but a duty that we consider of utmost importance: protecting the citizens from COVID," Aditya Thackeray had tweeted on Sunday.
After deleting his post, Aditya Thackeray shared another post writing,"I have deleted the earlier tweet as to not cause confusion regarding the official vaccination policy of Maharashtra that would be fully ensuring fast, efficient vaccination and would leave nobody behind. The official policy of vaccination will be declared by the empowered committee and we must await it’s recommendation for a fair policy for all sections of society. My apologies for the confusion if it all it may have caused."